The Bedroom, The Laundry, The Floor and The Mop
by hypheniated
Summary: ."Fugaku-san. Remember me? I'm Haruno Sakura. I need a job." A sexy dominatrix vampire maid. An arrogant handsome sex-god playboy. Living and working in the house of his parents. Oh lord. Watch out for the wet floor! Play nicely, now. SasuSaku.
1. Blackjack and the Job

_Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto._

_I do own the plot, though. You steal it, you're frigging dead._

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter One

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Blackjack and the Job

**..:****花****:..**

She tossed down the pair of cards she held. "I win. _Vingt-et-un, brother_." She stared at her apparent brother, waiting for him to give a sign of recognition.

The redhead muttered an incoherent curse, looked up straight into her eyes. Angry clouded jade clashed with laughing clear emerald. "Again?" He breathed, showing no sign of joy in losing to his sister. She only smiled, flashing him a long pearly white fang in response.

"We've been playing for an hour." She flipped her long hair over her shoulder. Her vivid pale pink hair glinted in the sunlight that drifted through between the thick velvet curtains that hung on the window. She stared at him impassively. "We won't have time tomorrow."

"Oh? Why?" He expertly flicked the leftover cards into his unmoving hand with an impossible speed and delicacy. He easily shuffled the cards with a practiced air, as a gust of wind blew in, exposing his hairline and his tattoo. "We going somewhere?"

"I need to get a job. I'm bored. You need a job too. It would look strange that a pair of twin-sixteen-year-olds are walking around during school hours." She held out her hand for her cards. Neither of them went to school. They completed that a _long_ time ago. "_He'll_ probably hire us."

The redhead raised a nonexistent eyebrow. Her deliberate ambiguity annoyed him a little sometimes. He nodded to her, signaling that she could look at her cards.

"Who?" He inquired delicately. He flicked a card into the air, and snatched it with his teeth, his twin fangs piercing the thin plastic cardboard material. He glanced down at it, and flipped it back down.

Twelve. Not bad to start with.

"Remember Uchiha Fugaku?" She said plainly. She glanced at her cards. Twenty. Well, she did have unusual luck. "Hit me."

He passed her a card. She glanced at it. Ace. Twenty-one. "Another win, brother. _Vingt-et-un_." She looked at him. "Do you remember?"

"I remember. He knows, doesn't he?" He swept up the cards into his shuffling hands. His pale unblemished hands stopped shuffling, and placed the deck down on the rickety old table. He ran a hand through the mop of dark red hair.

"Yes, he knows." She sighed.

"Sakura. Let's go now." The redhead stood up, and extended a hand to his sister. "It's nearly three, and in about two hours, we won't have the chance to talk to him."

Sakura daintily placed her hand into his. She was pulled up. She shook her head, rippling her long candy-pink mane. She squeezed his hand. "We might as well, Gaara."

**..:****花****:..**

The two stood in front of the tall building that was known as Uchiha Corporation. They stepped inside, fingers interlaced. They went up to the receptionist at the front desk.

"We need to see Uchiha Fugaku." Gaara said clearly. His fathomless jade eyes flicked around the room.

The receptionist said tonelessly, "He's in a meeting right now."

Sakura leaned over on the desk. "How about this? Mention to him that this is important, because Haruno Sakura and Subaku No Gaara are here to see him. Oh, and show him this, but make sure that no one else sees it." She leaned down even further, and nipped at the sitting female's neck. She pierced the skin, and only drained a little, but the puncture marks were clearly seen.

The receptionist blinked, and left without a word. Gaara smirked, amused, at Sakura. "Was that really necessary?" He inquired, but obviously not caring much at all.

"Nah, but I thought in case Fugaku forgot us." Sakura smiled slyly. "People tend to forget we exist." She laughed softly, and leaned against Gaara's shoulder.

"We look like a lovesick couple than brother and sister." He observed wryly. She pouted at him, and with a flash of her free hand, swept up her waist-long hair in a messy bun.

"Still, our hair and eyes are only shades different." She yawned.

The dazed receptionist returned, followed by a tall, dark man. "Here they are, Uchiha-san." The receptionist said.

"Thank you, Hinamori. Come." Uchiha Fugaku led them up an elevator to a penthouse office. They sat down in squashy leather armchairs.

"What are you here for?" Fugaku asked. He glanced fleetingly at the pair. Gaara and Sakura didn't sense any kind of recognition in the man's demeanor.

"Fugaku-san. Remember me? I'm Haruno Sakura and my brother, Sabaku No Gaara. We need a job." She leaned back, watching the older man remember.

He blinked. "Miss Sakura and Mr. Gaara. I remember now." He gave a small smile. "The twins. How are you?"

"Our parents have disappeared. Probably on a long vacation. Sasori, if you remember him, one of our brothers, he's off in France. Versailles, if I remember correctly." Gaara shrugged. "We're doing quite fine. Very good, in fact."

Fugaku nodded. "Of course, of course." He leaned back into the chair. "Your parents… they did send me something. Don't worry. They are traveling the entire world, hoping to be able to visit every city in the world." He paused. "Why do you need a job, pray tell? You two are very old-time wealthy."

"Well, Fugaku-san, it's been a long time, and people are wondering why an odd pair of teens are wandering around. Should they be in school?" Sakura said mockingly. "We already completed that. So there's no point in going. Plus, we'll been seventeen forever. Might as well do something. Playing blackjack is getting boring, especially since I kick Gaara's tiny little butt every time." She winked at her brother, who frowned back.

Fugaku smiled a little at the twin's antics, and thought for a minute. Then he spoke. "My wife, Mikoto, just fired a maid for stealing her jewelry. She took care of my grandson, as well as cleaned the house and things like that. And we would like someone to fix up our grounds, but we haven't found anyone to even start yet."

He paused. "Knowing you, Sakura, and your kinds' strength and speed, could clean up in minutes or so. I remember you are good with children also."

He turned to her brother. "And you Gaara, you like peacefulness and quiet. To an extent, as I remember. Would you mind gardening?" The jade-eyed male shook his head. "That sounds wonderful, Fugaku-san."

Sakura said cheerily, "Oh, Fugaku-san! Thank you!" She leapt up, and hugged the old man. The Uchiha returned the embrace.

"Alright then. But you should know, I have two sons. One, Itachi, he and his wife are currently on a business trip for me. He isn't home much at all, and they have their own house. He has a child, my grandson, Satoshi-chan."

The older man sighed. "Second, I have Sasuke. He is about your ages. I mean, the ages you look like. Seventeen, eighteen-ish? He's still in school. He still lives at home."

"And Satoshi, he's about six. He is the most adorable little boy. He doesn't see his parents much at all." The pair heard the affection in his voice. "The boy, well, my wife is currently in Konoha, but she normally isn't home much either, nor is myself. She will explain to you about Satoshi."

The pair nodded seriously as they stood up. "We would like to accept your offer, Fugaku-san." Gaara said.

Fugaku gave a thin but sincere smile. "That is excellent. But it is not up to me to make that decision. My wife does. How about you two join us for dinner today?"

Sakura grimaced, and Gaara twitched, gestured at them, and his mouth. Fugaku smirked. "Do not worry; you do not have to eat."

Sakura sighed in relief. Gaara smirked. They all glanced at the clock. It was five-thirty.

**..:****花****:..**

About an hour later, they were seated at a fancy table with Mikoto, Satoshi, Gaara, Sakura and Fugaku. Greetings and names were exchanged.

"Aren't you two a little young to be working? Shouldn't you be in school?" Mikoto inquired.

Gaara already had an answer ready. "We have already completed high school and university."

This went on, Mikoto asking and Gaara answering. Sakura introduced herself to Satoshi. "Hey, you're Satoshi, right? I'm Haruno Sakura."

"Yes, I am." The little boy nodded studiously. His eyes glinted with a childish mischief. "Do you know how to fold cranes, Miss Sakura? How come your hair is pink?" He asked, trying not to be excited in case she didn't know because he really wanted to learn how.

"Why, yes, I do." She called a maitre'd over and asked for some paper. "Just watch. And I was born with pink hair." She began to carefully crease the piece of paper into a crane, trying hard not to use super-speed to fold. She probably had made millions in her lifetime.

Finally, Fugaku broke into his wife's interrogation. "Mikoto-chan, the boy and girl won't steal from you. They are wealthy enough to overpower ourselves, they are trustworthy, very reliable, and have all the time in the world. I've known their family for a long time; I assure you, we can trust them."

"Where do they live?" Mikoto questioned.

"We live by the seaside, in a mansion that covers at least twenty acres, and have an old-hunting forest beside it." Gaara didn't mention that the forest was still used for hunting.

Throughout the entire meal, as Gaara and Sakura sat there, sipping water, they answered questions still shot from the matriarch of the Uchiha family.

Finally, as the last plate was cleared, Mikoto decided they would be fine for this job. And judging by the many silver bracelets that were around Sakura's wrists, her blood-red ruby pendant the size of her thumb, they were probably much richer than herself, and wasn't likely to steal her jewelry; it'd be more probable that they'd buy out her husband's company at any price.

Another, they seemed polite, and kind for seventeen year olds. And a slightly-old fashioned grace in the way they carried themselves. And Satoshi liked the pink-haired girl, by the way he was pestering her to teach him more, and she promised with a pinky-swear.

"I suppose they may be perfect for the jobs. They are hired." Mikoto said happily. Fugaku sighed in relief. Gaara smirked, and Sakura gave a slight smile in case of her fangs. Satoshi beamed happily.

As they left, Mikoto turned to the pair. "Come tomorrow, around eight or nine in the morning." The three Uchihas left the restaurant, chauffeured in a Porsche.

Sakura turned to Gaara. "Well brother, let's go home. I'll race you."

"As long as you let me win in blackjack, at least sometimes." Gaara muttered.

Sakura cocked an a pink eyebrow, and took off in the blink of an eye.

"I should've known. Selfish sister." Gaara grumbled, knowing perfectly well that Sakura could hear him, as he too disappeared in a flash.

**..:****花****:..**

That very day two seventeen-year old vampires, Sakura and Gaara, received jobs as a maid and nanny, and a gardener to the Uchiha family. What chaos is going to follow that?

**..:****花****:..**

…_Review. Please. I need at least eleven reviews to update._

_Vingt-et-un means twenty one in French. It's also another name for the card game blackjack._

_Love, _

_pureazure_


	2. Boys, Drinks, Flowers, Boredom

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Two

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Boys and Drinks and Flowers and Boredom

**..:****花****:..**

They spent the night playing blackjack. They weren't hungry.

The morning saw them at the grand Uchiha estate, with its extensive land and glamour. But there was a dead feel to it, because there was no life, no plants, no flowers.

They showed up in black jeans. Ratty, ripped old black skinny jeans. Sakura wore a simple bright red tank top and old silvery-blue Converse. Gaara had a maroon t-shirt, a white belt and a pair of muddy Converse.

Sakura wore a giant smile on her face; Gaara wore a scowl. They seemed to have the air of a good nights sleep, and waking up wide awake.

Gaara had lost most of the games.

It was eight-oh-five, on a Monday. They didn't sleep at all.

They walked up the long walkway up to heavy double-oak doors and polished gold handles. They stood on a marble platform. Gaara knocked heavily.

The door flung open. He had a worried and frantic look on his face, but when he saw the two, his tense expression relaxed into a smile. "Good morning, Sakura, Gaara. You're on time, but it's a rather inconvenient moment. Mikoto is screaming at the cook; apparently she tried to steal one of her necklaces as well. So now she's fired, and we don't have a cook." He sighed. He partly blamed his wife's explosive temper.

Gaara gave a smirk. "You do not need to worry, Fugaku-san. We will take over that too. Why not? We may be what we are, but we know how to make adequate human food. Don't worry; it would be a thoroughly cooked meal." Sakura nodded and added, "Yes, we could."

At this, Fugaku was extremely relieved. This was probably the millionth time his wife sacked someone. "Thank you so much, you two, for your offer. I will easily get Mikoto into it."

The pair gave smiles, not caring if this Uchiha saw their fangs. "No problem, Fugaku-san."

"Now follow." He led them up a marble staircase, down a few hallways, to a kitchen of the highest grade, where a pink-faced Mikoto was breathing heavily and an obviously frightened, frumpy woman stood, shaking by a counter.

Gaara's breath hitched. He liked to chase around his victims to the point of insanity and terror. Obvious waves of fear rolled off the poor woman. It was alerting his hunting instincts.

Sakura noticed this; she lazily gripped her brother's shoulder in an immobilizing hold.

"Begone, Azyumi. You are fired." Mikoto breathed. The poor female tripped to scurry out of the room. She brushed past Gaara in her haste.

Mikoto breathed in a little more, and straightened up. She beamed at the apparent newcomers. "Oh, come in! Good morning!" She gave a bright sunny smile. "Sorry about that."

"Fugaku leaned towards the female Uchiha. "Darling, Gaara and Sakura are willing to take over Azyumi's spot as cook. They are also extremely experienced in that line of work also." He stepped back.

Mikoto smiled happily. She was already very happy with the choice. "Oh, lovely! Thank you so much, you two. Oh, this is going to be perfect, Fugaku!" She danced towards the refrigerator, and took out a carton of milk. She slowly poured out the milk. "Also, there will be a list of things for you to do, Sakura."

The pair nodded just as a small dark blur rushed into the kitchen. The blur immediately latched itself onto Sakura's legs. "Good morning, Miss Sakura!"

Sakura giggled. She bent down at the waist and ruffled Satoshi's hair. "Hello, Satoshi. How are you? You're very excited to see me today."

Satoshi looked up cutely. His fathomless Uchiha eyes sparkled. He was still wearing his pajamas, blue and white-striped. His hair was a mess, and there were some crumbs stuck to his face. "Yea, I am!"

Sakura looked up. "Mikoto-san, Fugaku-san, do you want me to clean up Satoshi? Doesn't he have to go to school?" She detached the boy from her legs, and grasped one of his tiny hands. "I might as well start now. You and Gaara can go over what plants, trees and flowers to have." She shook her pink hair, cascading down her back.

Mikoto looked delighted. "Oh, go on! School starts at nine; he needs to be ready by eight-forty-five. His uniform is in the closet. I'll leave a list of things to do. Gaara, come over here, we need to discuss the plants here." Gaara complied, and walked over to the over-excited happy Mikoto. Gaara gave a tiny smile. He would never admit it, but he loved to garden.

Fugaku cleared his throat, slightly put out at not being involved. "I'll go wake up Sasuke. He's driving Satoshi-chan to school." He disappeared into the hallway.

"Miss Sakura, Miss Sakura! I'll lead you to my room! It's right next to my bathroom!" Satoshi said with a childish excitement. Sakura grinned, and allowed the little six-year old to lead her to his room.

**..:****花****:..**

"Sasuke. Get up." Fugaku called to his sleeping younger son from the doorway to his room. "Sasuke, you have to go to school. I have to go to the United States for business. Your mother is going to Ame and Suna for a few weeks to visit her friends. There is a new maid to take care of Satoshi and the house. There is also a gardener boy."

"Nghh." Was the reply. A dark form half-rose from the bed. "Alright, Father. Bye." A masculine voice hinted with sleep muttered. Fugaku, satisfied, disappeared from the doorway. "Goodbye, Sasuke."

Sasuke stretched, and when his father left, he awoke the second, unseen sleeping form in his bed. "Kagura, get up."

In the dark, the girl lying there fluttered her eyelashes in an attempt of sexiness. "Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke slid out of bed, and stumbled towards his bathroom. "Kagura, get the hell out of here. Go through the window. I'm through with you."

The female cried out, as if hurt. "Sasuke-kun! Does that mean…" The said Kagura tried to untangle herself from the bed sheets. She whimpered. Poor thing. Almost. The only thing she had going for her was her curvaceous body and luscious hair. Everything else failed in their respective categories.

"You were only a toy. Get the hell out of my room and my house." Sasuke started to rummage around for his school uniform.

The girl began to cry as she began to slip on and find her clothes. She couldn't find her bra or her thong. She sniffled and climbed out the window and down the tree. "I love you anyways, Sasuke-kun!" She said loudly in an attempt to be strong. Instead, it turned out sounding needy. As she awkwardly got out, she hobbled as fast as she could in impossibly high heels to get off the estate.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was writing a note and taping it to the door. "Need to change the bed stuff. All of it." He went into the bathroom to get ready. So there was a new maid. Big deal. What was the last thing Father said again?

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura giggled as she was led past too many doors. Finally she was halted in front of a light pale blue door. Almost shyly, Satoshi smiled and pushed open the door. "Here we are, Miss Sakura! It's my room!"

Sakura smiled at the sight. His room was blue and yellow, and had a giant window overlooking part of the grounds. His bed was covered in miscellaneous stuffed animals, and there were clothes all over the floor. The entire room had a sunny, warm feeling to it. Sakura walked over to the window, and pushed and tied up the dark navy blue curtains to draw more sunlight to the lemon-yellow-and-robin's-egg-blue walls.

"Your room is lovely, Satoshi-chan." She said sincerely. The boy brightened. "All right, Satoshi." She led him out of the room and into the bathroom. Sakura was amazed at what she saw.

Everything was shrunk in size to accommodate a six-year old boy. The toilet was small, the sink was low, and the bathtub was small. She almost squealed in delight at how everything was so small to her.

Satoshi silently handed her a brush, and she dusted off his hair of more cookie crumbs before running the brush slowly through his hair, careful for knots. "Oh, Miss Sakura, you are so much gentler than the other nanny I had. She would pull the brush through my hair so hard that I cried."

Sakura immediately swore to kill the maid that hurt the adorable little Uchiha boy. No doubt that she would actually do it.

After, Sakura helped the youngest Uchiha into his school uniform. Dark navy blue pants, a white button-up shirt, a black tie and a navy blazer. She picked up a backpack lying in a corner, and motioned it to him. He nodded, and slipped it on. "I don't have a lunch, Miss Sakura. Do you mind if I call you Nanny too?"

Sakura smiled softly. "I'll make you one. Oh, I don't mind if you call me that. You could also just call me Sakura, if you want." They walked down the hallways towards the kitchen, Satoshi chattering about what he wanted for lunch. They rounded a corner, and were about to step into the kitchen, when out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a dark figure coming this direction.

She stepped into the kitchen and bent down to child height. "Satoshi-kun, who was that?"

"Oh, that's Sasuke-niisan. Make me lunch now, Nanny." He said commandingly. Sakura chuckled, and turned to begin preparing a lunch for the lovable little boy. It was only her first day, but she already adored the cheerful, happy child of Itachi's.

Satoshi grinned. He already really liked this nanny. He hoped she would stay. She was nice. She didn't pull on his hair. She wore interesting clothes. She was like a kid, like him, he decided. In a grown-up's body.

Mikoto waltzed into the room, followed by a happy-looking Gaara. Gaara winked at his sister, who returned the wink. He stood beside her, watching her make a peanut-butter and strawberry jelly sandwich. "So, what flowers are you having?"

"Oh, Satoshi-chan! Have a great day!" Mikoto sang. Sakura silently handed the boy his lunch.

"There you go, Satoshi-chan. Bye!" Sakura smiled at the boy. Satoshi smiled back, and raced out the kitchen. "Sasuke-niisan!"

At the top of the large staircase, Sasuke ran a hand through his hair. Satoshi ran up to him. "Are you ready to go, Satoshi?" Sasuke asked, lifting up the boy easily. Satoshi nodded, and Sasuke put him down and they went out the door.

Mikoto straightened up. She handed a list to Sakura. "Those are the basic things that need to be done. Fugaku and I are going away for awhile; we never have time to stay home for long!" She said cheerily. "Oh, and here's the keys." She handed both of them identical sets of keys. "Ciao! I have to go to Suna!" She disappeared.

Sakura and Gaara blinked.

Gaara turned to Sakura. "Since you asked, Mikoto-san wants roses, orchids, tulips, lilies, snowdrops, irises and forget-me-nots. But those are the ones she really wanted. She told me whatever I wanted, as along as they were beautiful. They wanted weeping willows, cherry and plum trees, and a few pine ones as well. And a topiary garden. It's going to keep me very busy. She even gives me a credit card that she somehow programmed to only be able to charge garden-related items. It wouldn't be too hard for me to do." He chuckled slightly at how, despite everything, Mikoto was still being cautious with her money.

Sakura glanced at her list. Cook for Satoshi and Sasuke, dishes, laundry, basically everything related to cleaning and keeping up a clean and beautiful house. "I don't have it too bad. I have to basically clean the house, and look after this Sasuke and Satoshi. The kid is adorable."

"I can tell." Gaara said. "He is quite the charmer. Boy has nice manners too. He called me 'Mister Gaara.' I told him he could also call me 'Sir Gaara' and just 'Gaara.'" He gave an amused look. "Probably the most polite kid I've ever met."

Sakura stuck out her tongue. Gaara glared. Then they burst out laughing. Sakura was in full blown giggles, and Gaara was chuckling. They both sobered up quickly. "Do you think that maid Azyumi is gone yet?" Gaara muttered.

"Only if you share with me. Can't you feel her? I can hear her." Sakura shot back. "Use your senses; she's in a bathroom somewhere." She licked her lips. "And I thought you were better at tracking than I am."

Gaara muttered a curse. "Well I'm not in the mood today." He said sullenly.

She wrapped her arms around him in a squeeze. "Of course you aren't, but you go do the dirty work. I'd do it myself, but it would be weird, and make me look wrong. I don't swing that way." She gave him a playful wink.

Gaara gave a sigh, then squeezed her back, and let go. He stalked off. His senses were going haywire; he could just smell the sadness and the hint of fear. He and his sister haven't eaten in three days, and all they consumed was water. They were both starving at the moment. His thirst was raging.

He turned randomly down a few halls, and ended up where the scent of tears was the strongest. He pushed through a door, and saw the fired maid, Azyumi. She was sniffling, and breathing heavily. She was mopping her face and rummaging through her purse.

Gaara nearly lost control. He stepped up behind her. The girl snapped to attention. "Oh!" She gasped. She tried to leave, but with astonishing speed, Gaara shut the door. He began to walk towards the frightened girl. He took a step, and ever-so carefully, leaned over and bit her neck. His fangs sank delicately into the tender skin. The girl fainted. Gaara had put an amount of pressure in the bite to make her faint.

A few minutes later, Sakura stepped in, admiring the revered art of sucking blood. It was a grace. It was an art. And hell, she admired her brother doing it. She poked Gaara, who stopped, and let her have a turn. She licked the leaking blood, and drained her fill. They were both careful to keep enough blood to allow her to live, and but enough to sustain themselves for about four or five days.

Sakura straightened. "Alright, that was delicious." She laughed. Gaara smirked. Gaara swept up the still limp girl, and with a practiced air, licked the spot where the puncture wounds were. They would heal within the hour, leaving no trace at all.

"So you think she'll remember?" Sakura asked.

"Nah. They never do." Gaara carried the girl out. Sakura trailed after him. "I'm going to put her in her car, I saw it down the road. Then I'm going to pick up some stuff for the garden. See you later, sister." With a flash of his wine-red shirt, he disappeared. Sakura sighed, and pulled from her pocket the list.

"First thing, collect all the laundry from every room." She muttered as she headed towards a random door.

**..:****花****:..**

Gaara easily picked the lock to her car, and put the girl in. Then he started to walk back the estate grounds to calculate what should go where.

He sighed. There was so much to do, he might as well get started. He walked off to the nearest flower shop he could find.

He walked straight in, and began to examine various flowers. There was a platinum blonde girl hurriedly fixing her hair behind the counter. Her eyes immediately focused on the tall, pale, muscled redhead. She walked towards him. "Hello, there." She called in a vague Holly Golightly voice with a hint of an accent.

"Hi." Gaara said flatly. He couldn't care less for simpering females. Especially one with the voice of the main character in _Breakfast at Tiffany's._

"I'm Ino. Would you need any help?" She offered, all pretenses dropped, as she drank in the sight of the red-haired jade-eyed seventeen-year old.

"No." Gaara kept scanning through various flowers and seed. He picked up a few packets, as well as gardening tools. He also picked up a few pots. "I don't need any help."

"INO!" A voice shrieked. "INO, AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE IN SCHOOL? IT'S EIGHT-FORTY-NINE NOW!" A nearly identical, older version of Ino appeared from a door. Ino immediately swept out of the door.

Gaara made his way to the counter, picking up a few packets of violas and poppy seed. He dropped all the items on the counter. He looked up, and studied the features of the woman while she rang up his order. She handed him his purchases and disappeared. Gaara left the shop to go out and buy a few more things he would need.

Meanwhile, Sakura was extremely busy. She had already several loads of laundry. At least Mikoto-san preferred normal fabrics that regular people wore, instead of lace and silk and fur. She stepped towards Sasuke's door and saw the note pinned to the plaque on his door. She cursed, and stepped inside.

She nearly fainted at the overwhelming smell of sex in the room. She cursed her over-powerful senses. She wrinkled her nose, and took another step. She flipped on the light, and cursed angrily. There were clothes everywhere, and the bed was a mess. She quickly stripped the bed, gathered up all the clothes in a matter of seconds. She sped down the stairs to wash the stuff, and noticed there was a lacy hot-pink bra lying there.

She tossed it into the trash, and easily sorted through everything. She dumped the blacks into the washing machine, and took out the whites in the dryer. She neatly folded the whites all up. The whole process only took a matter of minutes to accomplish to her. To an average person, so many clothes would take at least half an hour.

She wasn't tired at all, she didn't really mind, she mused as she began to sort out the blues. She found a matching pink thong, and tossed that out too. At least it was better than being _too_ bored. She sorted everything into piles of their according color, and went back upstairs to make the beds.

**..:****花****:..**

Around three, Sasuke and Satoshi came home from school. Satoshi merrily skipped up the walkway to his house. He saw Gaara, knees on the ground, upturning soil. "Hi, Mister Gaara!" He called. "Where is Miss Sakura?"

"My sister's inside. She's doing something, Satoshi." Gaara called back. He was upturning soil to be able to plant seeds and bulbs. He planned to have tulips planted first.

The little boy nodded and disappeared inside. Sasuke began to trudge his way up the mansion when he noticed Gaara. "Who the hell are you?"

Gaara stood up. Both boys were nearly equal height. Onyx clashed with jade as they glared at each other. "I'm Sabaku No Gaara. Supposedly I'm your gardener." Gaara seethed. "Uchiha Sasuke, am I correct?"

"Yeah." Sasuke turned away, and made his way up to the house. He intended to go inside, get something to eat, and bother the maid before his friends came over.

Gaara snorted, and dusted off his pants. He glanced down. His jeans and t-shirt was a mess. He guessed his sister might be a mess too. He sighed. He sped off towards the seaside mansion they lived in to go pick up some clean clothes for the both of them. It would really only take a minute.

Inside, Sakura was just putting the last of the clothing away, when she heard a high-pitched childish voice. "Nanny, where are you?" Sakura walked out calmly, and glanced down. Her tank top was soaked in sweat and streaked with dust. She sighed. She sensed that Gaara was gone, probably to go grab stuff.

She wasn't tired at all, but nine or so hours of work can take its toll on you. "Satoshi?" She called, stepping into the kitchen. She washed her hands, and stuck out her tongue at the huge pile of dishes waiting for her. Satoshi caught her sticking out her tongue at the dishes and grinned. "Hi, Miss Sakura!"

"Hello Satoshi. Do you want a snack or something?" She asked, drying her hands and bending down.

"Yes, please!" The boy raced into the dining room. Sakura laughed. She thought for a moment. Then she went and took out some carrots and celery and began to wash them, and chop them up. She nicked her finger when she was startled by a deep masculine voice. "Hello."

She sighed down at her finger, and immediately licked the wound. She turned ever so slowly. She was met by a tall, dark, handsome figure, the one she saw earlier. "You must be Sasuke. Hi. I'm the maid." She turned back to chopping, watching her finger squeeze out a single bead of blood before healing itself, the skin repairing without a trace of a mark. She took up her finger again, and licked the blood off.

She scooped up the vegetables, and put them on a plate. As she took out the milk, out of the corner of her eye, Sasuke was still standing there motionless.

Well, she had been declared a femme fatale, a heartbreaker, in her lifetime, she mused. Many times, actually, by countless courting suitors and men.

She let one drop of milk spill over the edge of the glass. "Oops!" She exclaimed. And slowly, she brushed the bead of milk onto her finger. Slowly, she licked the finger off. She picked up the milk and a plate of vegetables. "Excuse me, Uchiha-sama." She emphasized the _sama._ She look straight into his eyes, but then slowly, tantalizingly, dragged her eyes away, and continued on to Satoshi.

**..:****花****:..**

Sasuke was in shock. Total shock. He had never seen such a beauty before. She may have been wearing a simple soiled tank top and roughed up jeans, but she could have been wearing a paper bag, she was so beautiful. Like an angel. He thought the maid was going to be a fussy, frumpy middle-aged or old woman, not a young pretty girl with long pink hair.

No, not an angel, Sasuke.

And her eyes, her eyes were oh-so large and ever-so expressive. When she looked at him, a jolt of electricity flew through him. When she dragged her eyes away, he swore there was a hint of something in them. He had to have the girl.

He followed her into the dining room, where Satoshi was sitting impatiently. His eyes brightened at the sight of Sakura. "Nanny! Sasuke-niisan!"

Sakura gave a bright smile, but twitched as she felt the presence of the dark-haired older Uchiha behind her. "Here you go, Satoshi-kun." The little Uchiha boy eyed the plates of food and glass of milk carefully.

"Are those cookies?" He asked cutely. Sakura nodded, trying to hide her smile. He gave a giant grin. "Yay!"

"But you have to eat this first." Sakura placed the plate of carrots and celery in front of the boy. Satoshi pouted. "Do I have to?"

"Yes." Sakura sat down. Sasuke sat down too, watching the pink-haired female hungrily. Sasuke snatched a carrot from the plate. "Here, Satoshi, I'll help you." He offered.

The boy grinned in delight. "Thanks, Sasuke-niisan!" And the pair began to slowly eat all the carrots. Sakura gave a small smile before she suddenly froze. She turned her head a crack. "Gaara, stop breathing down my neck."

Satoshi and Sasuke turned sharply from eating studiously when Sakura spoke Gaara's name and stared at the pale, jade-eyed boy. Satoshi recovered first and exclaimed a cheerful greeting. "Hi, Gaara!" He spouted cheerfully.

The jade-eyed boy straightened up. He gave a ghost of a smile to the boy, who was waving. "Hello, Satoshi." He dropped a bag on Sakura's lap. "Here's some clothes." He abruptly scooted back to allow his sister move.

Sakura gave him a look, and peeked in the bag. She shot up, and punched him in the face.

"What?!"

She shook in anger. "What in the name of Anne is this thing?" She shook the bag in Gaara's stoic face.

"Don't swear by Anne." Gaara said calmly, but had a hint of mirth in his voice. "Go wear it. It suits your position." Sakura opened her mouth, but Sasuke beat her to it.

"Whatever your name is, maid, go change into it." He was sort of interested in what the hell the garment was in the bag.

"Yes, Nanny, go change into it!" Satoshi chirped. "I wanna see it!"

Sakura sighed. Beaten by three males. She groaned again. She stomped off into a bathroom to change.

A long doorbell rang throughout the house, and Gaara walked down the staircase, Sasuke at his heels, to go open the door.

"Hello? Teme?" Naruto barreled through the door to tackle Sasuke. They both fell. As they both got up, Sasuke muttered "Dobe."

Neji Hyuga stood, smirking in the doorway. "Uchiha."

"Hyuga." Their eyes narrowed. Gaara coughed, and all turned to look at him. "Sorry, something got caught in my throat." He said politely.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked, scratching his head.

Gaara bowed, "I'm the gardener, and work at the Uchiha mansion." He straightened, and shut the door after Neji stepped in.

"No, your name."

Gaara smirked. "Sabaku No Gaara."

Naruto grinned. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Nice to meet you!" He said loudly.

They were interrupted by a clatter and a high-pitched feminine voice. "Satoshi! Get back here!"

Satoshi, clad in a green t-shirt and board shorts, ran down the stairs. "Naruto-niisan!" He cried.

Naruto turned, and caught the kid. "Hey, Satoshi-chan!" He said loudly as he ruffled his hair.

Then Sakura, pink-hair flying, scurried down the stairs. "Oh, Satoshi!" She skidded to a stop. "Oh!" She cried out in surprise of so many males in the room. She gave a slight curtsey. She glared at Gaara who only gave a knowing smirk behind Neji's back.

She was wearing a maid's outfit, specifically with a slight corset, lacings and a slight Gothic edge to it. All the males, excluding the little boy in Naruto's arms and Gaara, were salivating inside.

"Hello. I'm the maid." She even managed to pull off a slight blush. Inside, Sakura was grimacing inwardly at the dumbstruck slightly lusty looks on all the three boys' faces.

But she was bored enough to put her seducing skills to the test.

In her mouth, she ran her tongue ever-so-delicately over one long, perfect pearly white fang. She was very bored.

Sakura was dangerously bored, and that wasn't a good thing if you were a male. A lust-crazed, sexy-and-I-know-it playboy type of male especially. But almost any male will do.

Watch out, boys. Sakura's out to get you.

**..:****花****:..**

_The boredom I was referring to was that she was bored because plenty of guys now are too chicken to go ask out a drop-dead-gorgeous-supermodel girl nowadays. In history, when guys saw a pretty girl, they immediately demanded the father for the girl's hand in marriage. At least, that's what probably happened back then._

…_Review please. My goal is to get 10 reviews for this chapter. Please review to make a certain authoress extremely happy after her last exam. That she should be studying for instead of finishing up this chapter._

_I will need at least 10 reviews to update. Pretty please, or get your friends to read it and review so I could update it faster. _

_Love, _

_pureazure_


	3. Dirt and Flirtations

_To the anonymous reviewer, foxy – To answer your question, Anne was a queen a long time ago, the second of King Henry the Eighth's six wives. Her name was Anne Boleyn. I had a slight obsession with her a while ago because her life was interesting._

_And to one heck of a hellfire, - cut the crap. It's rated M, if you actually looked carefully enough. _

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Three

-

Dirt and Flirtations

**..:****花****:..**

She was impossibly beautiful. So impossibly, unnaturally beautiful. Neji could see it.

Her skin was unusually pale and clear, her lips were dark red, her hair was lustrous and pink, and her large, glittering emerald eyes were framed with long, dark eye lashes. Her voice, even though she only spoke four words in his presence, had a natural seductive tone into it.

He could see that the Uchiha wanted her too.

Sakura was still glowering at her brother. Satoshi wriggled out of Naruto's arms and stepped towards Sakura. "Nanny, I want to go outside with Sir Gaara. Please?" He tugged on the hem of her dress. "Please?" He pouted.

Sakura broke the glare with Gaara, and looked down. "Oh, alright. But you go upstairs and grab your shoes, okay?"

The darling child smiled brightly, and skipped upstairs.

Sakura blinked. Well, what the hell she was to do now? She turned to her brother. "You might as well wait, Gaara."

"And who are you?" She asked politely. She directed the question to Naruto and Neji.

"I'm Hyuga Neji." He said smoothly. Neji gave her a half-smirk-half smile that he knew, was dripping in sexiness. Sakura didn't even bat an eyelash.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto said loudly. Sakura turned her undivided, alluring gaze to the loud blond. He blushed under the intense glaze.

"Charming to meet you both." She gave a ghost of a smile. "Hyuga-sama, Uzumaki-sama." She turned her attention to Sasuke, staring at him. "Shouldn't you be ordering me away and yourself showing the way to your guests, Uchiha-sama?" She said silkily. Sasuke could feel his will power dissolving her captivating eyes caught him. "Are you not the host?"

Sakura immediately turned her stare to face the stairs. A few seconds later, Satoshi came skipping down. He went over to Sakura. "Nanny, I have my shoes on!" He said proudly.

"Lovely, Satoshi. Here's your jacket." She said warmly. She helped him slip into the jacket. The boy gave her a sunny smile.

"Thank you, Nanny. And you look pretty in your dress. But if you don't like wearing it, I give you permission to change out of it." He said tremendously.

Sakura reached out to ruffle his hair, grinning. "Thank you, Satoshi-kun." She let the boy skip over to Gaara, who led them out the door.

She eyed the two unfamiliar boys. The blond one, she mused, was very cute. He had straw-blond hair growing on his head in all directions, and the bright cerulean blue eyes. The way he was currently acting, was like that of a child. He was very lean, and tall, though half a head shorter than Uchiha-sama and the other one.

The other one, she thought with a wry smile, was like Sasuke. They could have been twins in personality. He did have long chocolaty brown hair, unusually long for a boy, and the strangest eyes. They were milky pearl white.

She snapped to alertness when a loud drawl ran through the room. "Shut up, Naruto."

Sakura started her way back up the stairs, determined to tackle the one task she hated very much. The dreaded task of washing dishes.

But then a firm hand gripped her slender forearm. She turned slowly to face Neji. "Yes, Hyuga-sama?" She posed the question politely. "What would you like?"

"Your name." He stated smoothly. He was going to take advantage of that fact.

A few feet away, Sasuke fumed. He didn't even ask the pretty maid's name. He didn't even think of an appropriate way to ask yet.

"Ah, my name." She hesitated. "I don't know if you should bother with my name, you know. I'm not sure if I'm obligated to tell you my name, Hyuga-sama." She retorted. She slid through Neji's now loose grip. "I must get to work if I am to serve Satoshi-chan and possibly Uchiha-sama and yourself and Uzumaki-sama." She skimmed up the stairs.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura decided to get changed. The dress was seriously starting to stifle her. She scratched the back of her neck as she dug through the bag, yanking out a perfectly dark denim pair of jeans, and a maroon tank top. She slid the dress off, and jammed her various body parts into the respective holes of the clothing.

She quickly laced up a pair of sneakers, and stepped into the kitchen. Sakura twitched as she stared at the heaping amount of dishes in the sink, and the rest piled all around the sink. She groaned loudly.

She muttered curses as she began too quickly washing all the dishes with extra speed. She easily finished within the hour, but she still hated the pruny puffed up fingers afterward. She may have been immortal, but that didn't mean she didn't suffer from normal human things. Like pruny fingers from water.

"Getting rubber gloves next time," she grumbled under her breath as she was drying her hands when she sensed someone. She turned, and saw Neji, leaning against the doorway. "Hello, Hyuga-sama. What can I do for you?" She said smoothly.

"I was going to get myself a drink…." Neji trailed off. He still didn't know her name.

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura. What would you like to drink?" She turned away to search in the fridge. "I'll get it for you."

Neji blinked in shock. First she doesn't give her name, and then she does, the second time? "Thank you, Sakura-san. I would only like water."

Sakura gave a sultry smile to Neji. She held a glass of water aloft. She slowly made her way towards the male Hyuga. "Here you go." She handed him the glass, and made sure their fingers touched. Neji felt a jolt of electricity go through him when their fingers touched.

"Thank you, Sakura-san." Neji took a long sip from the water before Sakura leaned in towards him, slightly pressing down on him.

She trailed her cool fingers lightly down his exposed collarbone. "Hyuga-sama, no need to call me Sakura-san." She whispered breathily, her breath tingling Neji's skin. He held in a gulp. His breathing became slightly shorter. "You can call me Sakura, or Sakura-chan.

"Oh, and please, pretty please, don't mention my name to Uchiha-sama yet, Hyuga-sama." She trailed her fingers back up to his lips. She pressed a dingle digit to his lips. "Not a word."

Sakura gave an unnoticeable grin as she watched the pale-eyed boy's features slip into an expression of dumbfound, and drew back. She had heard his breath hitch, saw his skin rising in goose bumps and the slight pinkish tinge of a blush scattered across his pale cheeks. She drew back even more, and turned around. She walked out the kitchen, only to crash into Naruto.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Uzumaki-sama." She apologized daintily. She backed up a single centimeter.

"No problem…?" He trailed off.

Her left eyelid, outlined with thick, dark lashes, slid over a brilliantly glittering bottle green eye. She winked. "Haruno Sakura. It would be pretty sweet of you to possibly not mention my name in front of Uchiha-sama." She said sweetly.

Naruto flashed her a giant grin. He had a sort of canine teeth in the front, not unlike her fangs. "Sure, Sakura." He said, albeit sheepishly.

"Thank you." Her eyes glittered instantaneously, and she smiled a sly little smile. She momentarily dazzled Naruto, who blinked, and blushed a little.

A few seconds later, Sasuke rounded the corner. Sakura and Naruto were still in very close proximity. Their bodies were almost touching. "Oi, dobe." Sasuke glared at the oblivious blond. He was jealous that Naruto, the idiot, was standing so close to the amazingly attractive female, whose name he still didn't know. "Where's Hyuga?"

Naruto turned to face Sasuke. "He's over there." He jerked his thumb in the kitchen. "He seems very out of it right now."

Musingly, Sakura stood off to the side while Naruto and Sasuke examined the long-haired male. She nearly giggled. His racing heartbeat was still audible to her ultra-sensitive ears. Oh, she didn't realize that she had such an affect on this boy! She hid a smile. This was so fun for her!

Perhaps she had over dazzled him, Sakura mused, twirling a pink lock through her long, graceful fingers. Or maybe he could barely believe it.

Finally, Sasuke punched him in the arm, quite hard, before he fell out of his trance. Neji glared at the Uchiha. "What?"

"You were zoned out for a while. What the hell had gotten into you?" Sasuke asked curiously.

"Oh-" Neji's pearly white eyes strayed toward a certain pink haired girl. "-nothing, Uchiha."

Sasuke glared at him as his own eyes followed where Neji's gaze had flickered, to find Sakura innocently standing there.

"I'm hungry!" Naruto whined. "I want ramen!"

"Oh! It's nearly six o'clock!" Sakura cried out, rushing down the stairs. When they could no longer see her, she calmly walked out the door. She saw her brother, covered in dirt, and Satoshi, sitting on a rock, giggling.

"Gaara! Satoshi!" She called, sprinting over to them.

Gaara stood up. There was dirt streaked on his angular handsome face, and loose dirt in his hair. "Hey, sister."

Satoshi bounced towards Sakura. "I had so much fun!" He babbled. "I saw worms, and Gaara let me plant some seeds and I almost caught a beetle!" He exclaimed proudly.

Sakura ruffled his hair. "Sounds like you had a wonderful day. Go inside, I'll be right there with Gaara." She promised.

"Okay!" He rushed off into the house, grinning happily.

Sakura turned, slightly amused. "Sit down."

Gaara complied, his back facing her, and she began to dust the loose dirt from his red hair. "I hope you had fun, brother."

"I did, I suppose." He whipped out a clean handkerchief and passed it back to her. Sakura began to gently wipe his face and hands. "It was probably good for the kid, he ran around, all excited and stuff."

Sakura dusted off her hands. "Well, the best I could do. Go in and wash your hands, Gaara."

The red-haired boy grinned ferally, and swept up his sister, and carried her in, hearing her screams and yells to put her down with a mischievous smirk and ignoring them. Gaara put her down for a second, then grabbed her and tossed her over his shoulder, fireman style. "Got you now." He said in his husky deep voice.

"Gaara, you bastard, put me down." She growled. She knew it wasn't a good idea to beat the crap out of his back.

"Fine, Princess." He dropped her. She landed on her butt. It didn't hurt, but she, out of habit, screamed a loud "Ow."

Sasuke, Neji, Satoshi, and Naruto rushed to the landing where Gaara and Sakura were. "Oh, don't worry, I'm not hurt." She said reassuringly to the little boy, who was terrified that his nanny was injured.

She easily stood up, with the help of Gaara, who pulled her up. "Thanks, you dolt." She glared while dusting off her butt. The boys tried not to stare.

"Any time." Gaara smirked. He had just noticed the worried looks sent towards Sakura, and the angry jealous glares directed at him. So these warm blooded males had already noticed his sister.

He easily tossed his arm over Sakura, and turned his head to whisper almost non-existently, but Sakura easily heard, "They're getting on the slight jealous side."

Sakura gave a smile. "Gaara, get off me." She knelt down to Satoshi. "What would you like for dinner, Satoshi-chan?" She asked.

The little Uchiha boy thought long and hard for a minute. Then he brightened. "I want ramen!" He yelled brightly. Neji and Sasuke both slapped their foreheads.

"Oh, really? That's easy to make." Sakura smiled softly. "I know how to make it from scratch, and Gaara will help me. Meanwhile, you get one of the big boys to help you wash your hands, and you play with them until we call, ok?"

"Ok! Come on, Naruto-niisan, Neji-niisan, Sasuke-niisan!" The boy raced off, Naruto trailing behind him. Neji started off, but not before he glanced at Sakura, who gave him such a strong fleeting glance that sent electricity through his veins.

Gaara disappeared into the kitchen. Sakura casually looked towards Sasuke. "Aren't you going?" She asked innocently.

"In a sec." Sasuke watched as Sakura false-nervously touched her fingers to her collarbone and throat as if there was something there.

Her emerald orbs swished to Sasuke's face and to his chest, and looked away to the ground, acting demure.

They stood, silent. Then Sasuke took a couple steps forward to Sakura. "I would like to know your name." He said huskily.

Sakura gave a demure, sultry smile. "Why, Uchiha-sama, you're very forward."

"I suppose I am." He said haughtily.

"Well, I'm going let you wonder in disappointment." She slipped through the door behind her, but she gave him a last look, a playful look, before slipping inside.

Sasuke stood, frozen for a moment, before, in disappointment, shoulders drooped, walked towards the direction the others had disappeared into a while ago.

**..:****花****:..**

"You took long." Gaara noted as Sakura slipped into the kitchen.

"Yes." She said softly. She took up a place next to Gaara who was already kneading the dough for making ramen.

"The Uchiha's a hassle?" He asked, expertly and fluidly kneading and stretching the dough.

"Whatever you like to think. I think, though, that Hyuga, he may have been caught already." Sakura easily cut up the dough into thin, wire-like strands that Gaara passed to her.

"That fast?"

"Yes, I teased him a little in the kitchen."

"I'm going to disinfect the kitchen. Right now."

"You're hilarious. Idiot."

"Want me to drop you again, sister?" Gaara said sweetly, his words dripping in sugar.

**..:****花****:..**

"Sasuke-niisan! What took you so long?" Satoshi whined.

"I had to go to the bathroom." Sasuke half-lied easily.

**..:****花****:..**

_Yes, he did go to the bathroom. Doing what? -Winks-_

_I am so very blown away by the response/ reviews from everyone. Thank you all so much! _

_40 reviews….. Just for one chapter…..that's seriously mind-blowing._

_I'd like at least 20 reviews before I update. Please._

_Review please!_

_And tell me what you like about it. If you have anything you liked about it. Any chapter._

_Because, reviewers are Gods. And Goddesses, of course._

_Love,_

_pureazure _


	4. Ramen and Butterfly Light Kisses

_Cha, thirty reviews! That makes so feel very bubbly!_

_Aw, everyone adores Satoshi. Yes, even me. _

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Four

-

Ramen and Butterfly Light Kisses

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura was tossing the noodles she cut up into a giant pot Gaara found in the cupboard. The handsome redhead was cleaning off the area they were working in.

"Done disinfecting the kitchen yet, dear brother?" Sakura said sarcastically. She began to stir the noodles in the pot.

"Almost, I have to clean everything. Who knows what you two might have touched." He retorted. He tossed the cloth he was using in the sink, and flexed his slightly puffed up fingers. Damn, the water made them a bit stiff.

"Get some bowls for me, Gaara." She said sweetly.

He rolled his impossibly light jade eyes, and went to search for bowls. He came up with four plain white bowls, and set them on the counter. Sakura leaned over and poured soup and noodles equally into all the bowls.

"There's more." Sakura sang, as Gaara raised his non-existent eyebrow when Sakura set the pot on the stove instead of the sink.

"You get them, or shall I?" Gaara asked, leaning against a chair. Sakura thought for a second.

"I will. Mind setting the table for them, Gaara-kun?" And she whisked herself out of the dining room, leaving a mildly irritated Gaara behind.

"Stupid sister." The gorgeous redhead muttered as he sauntered off towards the kitchen.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura walked like a model, one foot in front of the other, body straight as a chopstick. She knew exactly where she was going; she could smell the four boys very clearly, somewhere up ahead and to the right.

She turned down several hallways before reaching the end of a corridor. She could hear Satoshi's and Naruto's voices through the walls.

"No, Naruto-niisan, not like that!" Satoshi's voice squealed indignantly.

Sakura smiled, a mix of happiness and slyness. She pushed open the door. "Hello?"

"Nanny!" Satoshi was sitting in the middle of the apparent playroom, a mess of blocks, miniature cars and other assorted toys. He jumped up and latched himself onto Sakura's legs. "I'm really hungry, Nanny."

Sakura tousled the boy's dark hair. "No worries, Satoshi-kun, me and Gaara made plenty of ramen. We made the noodles ourselves!"

She glanced around the room. It was in a very pretty blue. Neji was lying on the floor on his back, staring at the ceiling. Sasuke was lying on his side, his fingers idly twisting a cord. Naruto was seated, cross-legged, in the center of the room, a pile of toy cars and a racetrack all around him.

"Hey, you three much-older boys," Sakura teased easily. "Aren't you hungry at all?"

The three boys jolted to attention at the rosette's silkily entwined sweet voice.

Naruto scrambled to his feet, his face excited at the prospect of food. Neji stood up gracefully. Sasuke, incredibly slowly and deliberately, got up easily.

Satoshi, the darling little male Uchiha, clung to her legs as she absentmindedly ran her cool fingers through the little boy's hair as she watched all the older boys rise accordingly.

Sakura untangled herself from Satoshi's grasp when Sasuke stood up. "Satoshi-chan, you may run ahead to the dining room, Gaara has the food ready now."

The little boy brightened, and Naruto perked his face up.

"Oi, Satoshi-chan!" Naruto called out, gently grasping the little boy's arm. Satoshi look inquiringly at the blond.

"Yes, Naruto-niisan?" He asked. He tilted his head.

"Race you to the dining room!" and Naruto took off, Satoshi blinking before running after him, yelling, "No, fair, Naruto-niisan! You got a head start!"

Sakura laughed, and Sasuke and Neji chuckled.

Neji started his way down the corridor, but stopped, and turned around. "Are you coming, Uchiha?" He asked, nearly forgetting not to say Sakura's name.

"Yeah, in a sec, Hyuga," Sasuke hovered by the door, obviously waiting for Sakura to come through.

Sakura calmed down, and stepped quickly through the door. She smiled pleasantly at the male Hyuga. "Hyuga-sama, go on, before Uzumaki-sama and Satoshi-chan eat everything."

Neji was very hungry, so he disappeared down the hall. Sakura followed him with her emerald orbs, and let out a quiet sigh.

Sasuke turned to face Sakura. "Damn it, why don't you tell me your name?" He asked, frustrated to the core.

"Why should I?" Sakura purred slyly. She gave him an earth-shattering smile. She slipped in behind Sasuke at an inhuman speed that made her look like a blur.

"Why should I?" She repeated, breathing into his ear, surprising the Uchiha. He turned, but Sakura disappeared, walking in front of him now.

She sent him a wink. She stopped walking, and stood in front of him now. She focused a blazing look, trapping the Uchiha's fathomless onyx eyes. She put a single finger from his jaw line, feather light, and ran a burning trail down his neck, and slowing at the collarbone. She agonizingly dragged the finger across the shoulder, and stopped.

She was careful that no other body part touched him, only the single digit.

"Maybe." She tore her glittering emerald orbs away, stepped quickly and smoothly down the hall, her hips swaying lightly with each step.

Aching onyx eyes followed the figure down the hall, staring down and memorizing every moment of the female, torturing their master. Sasuke groaned quietly. Not only his eyes and mind were aching, so was another body part. A single finger, a blazing look, and he needed to go to the bathroom. Again.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura gave a wide grin as she left the scene. Oh, was she ever so much a torturer!

She stepped into the dining room, where Gaara was seated leisurely in a chair four seats away from Naruto, who was stuffing his face in the ramen. Neji sat on the other side of the table, a seat away from facing Gaara. He was eating slowly and deliberately, and with good etiquette and manners, but Sakura could tell easily, that he very much liked the ramen.

Satoshi was sitting next to Naruto. He was also cutely eating his ramen. He ate as fast as Naruto, but he, in an Uchiha-inherited grace, also seemed to eat it politely, unlike Naruto.

Sakura slid into the chair next to Gaara, despite the fleeting pleading glance from Neji to have her sit next to him, and from Satoshi, who yelled out, "Miss Sakura, can you sit next to me please?"

"I would like to sit next to Gaara, though, sorry, Satoshi-chan. I need to talk to him." She almost gave in to the puppy-dog face from the pouting little boy.

Satoshi continued to eat his ramen, slightly dejected. Sakura noticed this, and cracked. "Aw, Satoshi-chan, I'll sit next to you after I finish talking with Gaara then, ok?"

Satoshi beamed. "Yay!" And continued to eat with renewed vigor.

Sakura was about to whisper into Gaara's ear when a cell phone rang. Namely, Naruto's iPhone. Yes, that blond idiot has an iPhone.

"Hello? Naruto Uzumaki!" He said enthusiastically into his iPhone, just as a very disgruntled Sasuke walked in.

Naruto listened for a second, when his face changed to an expression of bliss and obvious happiness and love. "Hello, Hinata-chan!" He exclaimed happily.

Sasuke took a one seat away from Neji, and picked up his chopsticks. "Dobe? Your girlfriend?" He asked, slightly annoyed.

"Hinata is his girlfriend, Uchiha." Neji stated tersely. "My cousin, remember?"

Sakura smiled slightly, only Gaara would notice. So Naruto had a girlfriend. She wasn't a boyfriend stealer, much less a husband stealer.

Unless of course, the man was very interested. Very, very interested.

She wasn't going to make a move upon the blond. She wasn't going to, anyways. He seemed a bit too innocent, anyways, and since she could easily hear the conversation between the mystery girlfriend and the idiot blond, she could tell they loved each other. It was very sweet. She was not going to interfere with that.

Plus, the way he had looked at her, it was more of an "oh-look-a-pretty-girl" gawk. She got that look all the time. It never led to anything.

"Yeah, I'm at the Teme's house. Oh, no, you are not interrupting anything, Hinata-chan! I only spent some time with Satoshi, and stealing a bite to eat at his house." Naruto's cerulean sea-blue eyes sparkled.

"Maybe I'll pick you up later for a walk, Hinata-chan!" The excited blonde exclaimed. He listened for a second. "Alright, then, bye, Hinata-chan!" He sang into the iPhone.

"Uzumaki-sama, you have a girlfriend?" Sakura asked innocently. Gaara decided to go out and pick up all his gardening tools outside.

"Yeah, I have a picture! Wanna see it?" Naruto answered with a question. Sakura nodded, and the blond tossed her his phone.

As the wallpaper, there was a tan Naruto, hugging a long-navy-haired pale female, who was clinging to Naruto. She had the same eyes as Neji, but her eyes were tinted lavender, it seemed. There was snow clinging and falling in the picture.

Sakura squealed at the picture. "That's adorable!" She flipped it back to Naruto, who clumsily caught it right above his ramen.

"Yeah, it is." Naruto said sheepishly, an embarrassed blush scattered across his cheekbones. "We took it way back on the first day it snowed."

A comfortable silence settled over them, the only sounds were the clatter of chopsticks and slurping.

Naruto finished his ramen first. "Thanks for letting me stay, teme. And to Gaara….and you," Pointing at Sakura- "For the delicious ramen." He ruffled Satoshi's hair. "See you, Satoshi." And he walked out of the dining room, heading out to meet his Hinata-chan.

Sakura lazily stood up. She picked up Naruto's empty bowl, and walked into the kitchen. She set it down in the sink, and leaned against the counter for a second, closing her eyes. Boy, she really, really hated washing dishes.

She fluttered her eyes open, and looked genuinely surprised at the tall, pale-eyed Hyuga boy in front of her. "Yes, Hyuga-sama?" She purred sweetly.

The Hyuga gave an almost embarrassed smirk. "I wanted to say goodbye to you, Sakura."

She gave a soft, sexy smile. "Well, Hyuga-sama, it was a pleasure in meeting you today. I hope we may see each other again."

"Yes, and you too." Without warning, Neji picked up Sakura's elongated fingers, rubbing absently across her knuckles, and softly kissed the back of her hand. "See you later."

Sakura blushed. She may not have been human, but she was still susceptible to sweet gestures. "See you later."

Neji gave her a smirk, and he walked back through the dining room. "See you tomorrow, Uchiha." He nodded towards the black-haired male.

Sasuke returned the gesture. "Later, Hyuga."

Sakura stepped into the room. "Satoshi! Are you done eating? Cuz' you have to go to bed soon, love." She smiled apologetically.

"All right, Nanny!" Satoshi sang out, handing her his empty bowl.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura led the boy into his bathroom, where he brushed his teeth and bathed by himself, and got ready for bed.

"Miss Sakura!" The boy called out shyly.

"Yes, Satoshi-chan?"

"Could you tuck me in?" The boy fidgeted.

Sakura gave a smile, and wandered over to the side of his bed. "Sure."

She tucked the young Uchiha in. "Good night, Satoshi-kun. I'll be back tomorrow morning, darling." She softly placed a kiss on his forehead, her pink locks brushing his face.

"Night, Nanny." The boy shut his eyes.

Sakura slipped out, wearing a pleased smile. Just as she shut the door, she came face to face with Sasuke.

"Uchiha-sama."

"Seriously, I can't take it anymore. What is your name? I don't know what the hell to call you, dammnit!" Sasuke was visibly very frustrated.

Sakura began to take steps away from Satoshi's room, and unknowingly down Sasuke's hallway.

"Shh. Satoshi is sleeping." She placed a finger on her perfectly red lips.

Sasuke took in a few deep breaths. Seriously, he had never met such a frustrating girl before.

"Really, I'm not the kind of guy to call people 'Miss'. Just tell me your name." He pleaded. Had anyone else been there to witness, nobody would've believed that Uchiha Sasuke even knew _how_ to make such a desperate look with his eyes.

Sakura smiled crazily in the darkness. "My name starts with an S. You can call me that."

"No. I need more then that." Sasuke was irritated.

"That's all that I'm going to give you." Sakura guessed; if he was just the kind of guy she thought he was, it should start right about… no-Bam!

She was slammed into the wall. Hard.

The Uchiha was panting with desperation.

Sakura only stared impassively back at him, mirth and defiance in her glittering ever-so giant green eyes.

He half whispered, half growled, in a strangely feathery way so that every word he spoke was breathed upon her neck. "What. Is. Your. Name. Dammnit."

"Not telling." She dropped a very, _very_ seductive smile on him, momentarily dazzling him.

He pressed a butterfly kiss on her collarbone, and an angry, gruff sound was produced again. "Tell me."

Sakura was laughing on the inside. Wow, this was almost hilarious. But of course, his own neck and collarbone were also… inviting. "My name is…" And she brushed her lips across an extremely sensitive part between the neck and collarbone.

Sasuke felt electrified the moment her lips touched a spot that he never knew that was ever so sensitive. He closed his eyes in a rapturous, torturous feeling. All the electricity went down, pooling into a very familiar part of his anatomy.

"Sa…" She brought his hand up to her lips, brushing them lightly on the inside of his wrist, another sensitive spot.

Sasuke groaned softly.

"Kur…" She dropped his hand, stood up on her tippy-toes and brushed her lips, butterfly-light, across his eyelid.

Sasuke was in agony. Burning agony.

"Ra." She breathed the last syllable out, barely touching her lips to the tip of his nose.

She pulled away, and ducked under his arm. "Goodbye, Uchiha-sama. See you tomorrow." And she ran down the hallway and the stairs.

**..:****花****:..**

Gaara waited impatiently as he waited for his sister.

Finally she appeared, a very triumphant smirk on her face.

"Well, sister, what did you do now?" Gaara asked, extremely amused and not as annoyed in the late coming at this point.

"Abbreviated or the whole thing? Details or no details, dear brother?"

Preferably the whole thing, with the barest amount of details. Race me and tell on the way home."

"Ok. But…"

"What?"

"Pretty please, when we get home, let's play blackjack!"

"Hell no, Sakura. Let's play poker instead."

"With real money? Not poker chips?"

"Why not?"

Oh dear, watch out, Gaara. Don't bet too high against Sakura, now.

**..:****花****:..**

Sasuke slid down the wall, sweat pouring off his body, soaking his clothes.

He was in burning agony, tortured mindlessly by a pink-haired female, and he had an enormous, badly throbbing hard-on.

In the amiss, he mused, at least he got her name. Sakura.

God, he needed a really, really, ice-cold shower.

**..:****花****:..**

_Poor Gaara. Thinks he is so good in card games. I warned you, you sexy jade-eyed red-haired Sand-wielder!_

_He can only do fancy card tricks and deal well. Poor boy._

_Yes, I like having Sakura torture Sasuke. And no, I don't feel sorry for Sasuke. _

_It's only sexual frustration. (Hear hear XD.)- From my beta, Lya._

_That was enormously a lot of fun to write. _

_I would love to hear your favorite parts, any chapter._

_I also like long-ish reviews. Though, if you don't give a long-ish one, I'm fine with that._

_I need at least 20 reviews to update. _

_I want to hit over 100 reviews. Or no update._

_As always, very blown away by amount of the reviews. And the love!_

_Yes, even if you don't feel like reviewing, do it for Satoshi-chan. Review please!_

_Love,_

_pureazure._

…_Stupid spell check. It made my penname uppercase. Damn you, it's lowercase._


	5. Cars and Scrambled Eggs

_I am totally blown away by all the reviews. _

_Seriously._

_I love you all. _

_By the way, to answer Shadow Blackheart: I am not trying to sound bossy or cocky or whatever, but have you read Twilight or heard of Daywalker vampires? Mostly Daywalkers though. They can survive in sunlight. Anyhow, I didn't know that vampires disliked water. Though I'll keep it as that. Thanks!_

_Sakura doesn't like pruny fingers… neither do I._

_By the way, someone tried to kidnap Satoshi. Le Gasp!_

_And yes, you know who you are. But I forgot. Come again?_

_And hell yeah, I'm a hero. Heroine. Whatever. Thanks, StrawberryBell!_

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Five

-

Cars and Scrambled Eggs

**..:****花****:..**

When Sasuke finally climbed into bed that night, all he could think about was Sakura. Her pink hair, her defiant jade eyes, her deathly pale skin, with long graceful fingers, and her slender, lithe body. The manner she talked, her melodiously seductive voice and her slyness.

Her name alone merely tortured him.

She was a mystery to him.

And he was damned if he didn't find out more.

**..:****花****:..**

Her image ate at him the whole night.

He was tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

When the sun finally peeked through the windows, Sasuke, bleary-eyed, got up to go to the bathroom.

As he stepped out of the shower, rubbing his body with a dark navy towel, he stared at himself in the mirror as he rubbed the towel over his scalp. He wiped the mirror with his fist to see better.

His eyes had dark shadows underneath, casting a gaunt look over his face. His skin was dead-looking and pasty, though when he rubbed his face, a little color flowed back into his features.

He ran his fingers through his hair, finger-combing all the knots he could feel stuck in his hair. He couldn't do anything about the haunted look in his onyx eyes and the gaunt look upon his face.

He wandered into his room, towel wrapped low around his waist, and began to rummage around for a clean uniform for school.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura yanked a brush through her long, unruly, tangled candy-pink mane as she sat in front of a plain ebony vanity.

Normally, it wasn't too unmanageable, at best. But she had decided to lie down for a while, in her enormous four-poster bed (a prop). That had messed up her hair immensely as she turned all the time, to reach lazily for a magazine or water or a book.

Sakura sighed. She was physically very tired; working and running did take its toll on her, and she hadn't properly rested her body yet. She cracked her shoulder and stretched languorously.

Gaara stepped in to Sakura's darkly decorated room. He gazed around for a long minute. "You should really change the décor, sister."

Sakura stared into the mirror in front of her, watching Gaara. "No thanks, dear brother. I rather like my room, thank you very much."

Gaara strode across the room. He draped her arms around the petite girl. He breathed in. "You're tired."

"Yes I am." Sakura groaned, stretching her arms in front of her, and leaning back slightly into his chest. "You always know."

"Wanna drive?" A glint sparked in Gaara's jade orbs.

Pearly fangs flashed into identical grins.

**..:****花****:..**

Satoshi was yawning as he stretched and fell out of his bed, tangled in his bedsheets.

At that moment, Sasuke stepped into the room, and chuckled lowly at the entangled boy. "Morning, Satoshi."

"Mmph!!" The lump in the mess of blankets and stuffed animals flailed around.

Sasuke chuckled again. He strode over to the lump of blankets, and whisked them off.

Satoshi sat sheepishly in the middle of his rug, where he had landed. "Morning, Sasuke-niisan!" He rubbed his sleepy eyes and blinked.

Sasuke patted his already messy sleep-tousled hair. "Come on, Satoshi. Go wash your face and brush your teeth."

"Where's Miss Sakura?" The little boy whipped his head in all directions. "Is she here yet? She helps me put on my uniform." He added innocently.

Sasuke shut his eyes for a second. That sounded so simple and pure coming from his brother's kid. But the images that flashed involuntarily through his head, triggered by that sentence, weren't going anywhere near the innocent road.

Damn, he wished that Sakura help him put on _his_ school uniform.

Fuck, not again. He squeezed his fingers together at the oh-so-familiar and uncomfortable feeling pooling north.

He snapped back to reality when there was a sharp tug on his pants. He looked down. Satoshi stared up at him, curiosity in his onyx orbs. "Sasuke-niisan, you just zoned out for a minute."

"Sorry, Satoshi. Go brush your teeth; I'll meet you in the kitchen." He nodded absentmindedly to the younger Uchiha boy.

Satoshi skipped happily to his bathroom.

Sasuke let out a groan as he leaned against the door, fully feeling the swell in his pants.

He hissed, and walked out the door, albeit comfortably.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura skidded into the endless driveway of the grand Uchiha mansion. She parked haphazardly, her engine quieting down to a sweet purr.

Behind her, Gaara parked just as dangerously, practically hitting her 'baby', as she called it. The roar of his engine ricocheted and echoed in the vast empty grounds.

She stormed out of her 'baby' and strode over to where Gaara nearly bumped her and examined the spot. She let out a quiet sigh of relief.

The redhead slid lazily out of his ebony-silver Lamborghini Murcielago. "Did I hit you?"

"No, you idiot, but you came really damn close!" The pinkette growled. She stroked her 'baby'. "Plus, I won the race anyways." She did a mock kick to his toy.

"Not entirely my fault. You asked for a shocking yellow Porsche Turbo 911, not me." He leaned leisurely against his car and ignored Sakura's statement about winning.

She hissed. "Well, I didn't ask for a super flashy sports car that's basically a damn toy." She glared at the shiny sparkling black-silver Murcielago, winking in the pale morning sun.

"It wasn't me who asked for a piece of junk." He stated flatly.

"Shut up, Gaara! At least I don't have to pay giant maintenance bills. And my baby is not a piece of junk! Let's go inside." She stroked her bright yellow Porsche Turbo 911.

"Big bad Gaara didn't hurt you, baby, didn't he? He didn't call you a piece of junk, he didn't mean it." She cooed sweetly and sickly, much to the disgust of Gaara.

"You're crazy." He turned his heel and walked to the door. He unlocked it, and stepped in.

Sakura slipped in right after, closing the door softly.

Gaara shrugged, and went to grab his tools to go garden.

Sakura sighed, and walked up the long staircase to the kitchen.

She was immediately knocked down by an excited Satoshi.

"Good morning, Nanny!" He sang out happily. He was very happy this morning. He was wrapped around her long legs.

"Uh, good morning, Satoshi-kun." She smiled. "Would you mind-" She was cut off by a gruff, tired voice.

"Get off of the maid, Satoshi." Sasuke was carrying his blazer over his shoulder as he stepped over Sakura's body.

He couldn't help but notice that she was wearing a slim red, silky-looking spaghetti strap tank top with plain black lace on top. It was shifted up a little bit, and he could see a tiny sliver of her flat stomach.

Satoshi quickly climbed off of the rosette. "Oh, sorry, Nanny!"

Sakura easily stood up. "Ah, it's all right, Satoshi-kun. Come on, I'll make something to eat."

She skimmed to the kitchen, where she began to crack eggs into a bowl. She heard the light footsteps of the little Uchiha skip into the dining room and the scrape of a chair being pulled out.

She gave a tiny smirk as she listened to Sasuke, who was walking towards her as trying to be as quiet as possible to, she supposed, to sneak up on her.

"Nice try, Uchiha-sama." She didn't turn around. She took out a pair of long elongated chopsticks and began to whip up the eggs.

"How did you know it was me?" He purred, blowing slightly on her neck. She froze for an instant and shivered.

Damn, she didn't know that he was that close!

"Because." Sakura turned and dumped the bowl of beaten up eggs into the sizzling dull gray pan. She reached for a spatula.

She was surprised when it was placed into her hand. She didn't say anything, and began to stir the eggs. "Why, thank you, Uchiha-sama."

"No need." He whispered breathily.

Sakura didn't react. She just kept stirring the scrambled eggs.

Sasuke was determined but frustrated. But so far, his mildest tries didn't work at all. Normally, he had girls falling to their knees, worshipping the ground he walked on with a single twitch.

She felt his confusion and frustration and nearly laughed out loud.

She spooned the now-cooked scrambled eggs onto two waiting plates on the marble counter. She lightly tossed the gray pan into the sink with a clang.

"Uchiha-sama, do you mind moving, please? I do need to give you and Satoshi your breakfast." She stated silkily.

She held the two plates aloft, and was looking up mildly at Sasuke, an eyebrow quirked.

He silently stepped out of the way, watching her intently.

She only strode into the dining room and placed the plates down. "Here you are, Satoshi-kun!"

She silently watched as Sasuke and Satoshi ate. She didn't regret not eating anymore. At least she and Gaara don't have to deal with food bills.

Sasuke wasn't paying attention at all to what he was doing. He couldn't taste what he ate. He just shoveled the food down his throat.

He almost stabbed himself in the eye with a forkful of scrambled egg. He already had his cheeks covered in egg because he kept jabbing the fork into his pale cheeks.

He got more on his face than in his mouth.

He couldn't sleep. He couldn't eat. What next?

"Nanny! I'm done!" Satoshi chirped.

Sakura gave a wry smile. "Alright, Satoshi-kun, let's go get you dressed, sweetie."

She held out her hand, and Satoshi and Sakura left the room.

**..:****花****:..**

Sasuke wiped off his face, and sauntered downstairs to wait for the kid.

When he laced up his shoes and walked out the door, he did not expect to see a bright yellow Porsche Turbo 911 and a silver-black Lamborghini Murcielago sitting in his driveway.

And those were only two of his dream cars.

He strode over to the silver Lamborghini, running a hand over its shiny chrome surface. He was startled by a softly harsh-edged voice.

"That's mine." Gaara rose up and took a few steps over to Sasuke. "I got that for my birthday."

Of course, he didn't specify _which_ birthday.

Sasuke marveled at the sight of the 'toy' before answering. "You serious? My father wouldn't even let me give this a glance."

"Fugaku is like that, I suppose. Not to spoil, I guess." Gaara smiled slightly. "I might let you take a spin in this maybe."

"Then I have your word. What about the other?" The onyx-eyed boy gestured to the bright yellow Turbo 911.

"That's Sakura's." Gaara wiped his brow with a dusty brown sleeve.

"Aa." That was all he said before a happy Satoshi bounded out.

"Hi, Sir Gaara!"

"Hey, Satoshi."

At that moment, a sedan pulled up, and the window rolled down, revealing a messy-looking Naruto and a pissed-off looking Neji.

"Come on, teme, Satoshi, we gotta go. We have to go pick up Ino." Naruto gestured mindlessly.

"Hurry up, Uchiha, Satoshi." Neji tapped the wheel impatiently. "And Sasuke, you look terrible."

That was the truth.

Sasuke ignored it, and turned to Gaara. "And you'll keep your word? You'll let me drive that?" He pointed at Gaara's birthday present.

"Sure. Don't make any plans after school." Gaara nodded at him. "See you, Satoshi. Bye, Uchiha."

Sasuke gave an awkward wave, and climbed in to the sedan. Satoshi was already in. At that moment, Naruto noticed the Lamborghini.

"Is-that…is that….?" The blond pointed frantically at the silver Murcielago.

"Shut up, dobe. It is. Go, Hyuga."

And they disappeared.

Gaara smirked. "It was a birthday present, all right. From Lamborghini itself." And he turned away, intent on to finish gardening a little bit.

He wondered for a moment. The name Ino sounded familiar…

**..:****花****:..**

_At the end, I meant that Gaara may have known Ferrucio Lamborghini at one point…_

_Did I already mention that I love reviewers?_

_And please, long-ish reviews. Tell me your favorite parts? _

_I would like at least 20 reviews. _

_And 911 is said as nine-eleven, not nine-one-one._

_Car term only._

_Please, at least 20 reviews!_

_Love,_

_pureazure_


	6. Meeting of the Blue and Green Eyes

_To answer BloodyBlossoms33, I don't know how to explain it. Err, you roll your shoulder or something and it cracks. I do it a lot... And the other question, I don't know. Never thought of it before. Oops!_

_And I'm protecting the identity of the kidnapper. And NO, YOU AREN'T GETTING HIM._

_Though, you can try, Ukeire._

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Six

-

Meeting of the Blue and Green Eyes

**..:****花****:..**

A loud screeching of tires ripped through the parking lot of Konoha Elementary/Middle/High School at exactly three-oh-one in the afternoon. Everybody was just getting out of school.

Girls screamed at the sound, while boys cringed at the rubber burning through the asphalt.

Naruto and Sasuke were standing by the stairs outside waiting for Satoshi, Neji and Ino, when the noise happened.

Naruto instantly covered his poor ears and squeezed his eyes shut. Sasuke stuffed his fingers into his own ears and forced himself to look around.

Sitting in the middle of the parking lot, blocking all traffic, was a shiny ebony-silver Lamborghini.

The door opened upwards, not on the side, and Gaara stepped out, wearing completely different clothing from this morning.

In the morning, the jade-eyed boy was wearing dirt-caked jeans and a sweaty brown shirt.

He was now wearing clean, dark skinny jeans, and a maroon button-up shirt untucked and unbuttoned at the top. Grey Converse and an ice-white belt adorned him, and, as always, his clouded green eyes were heavily rimmed with black.

All the girls fourteen years old and above standing around the parking lot began to drool at the sight of Gaara.

He appeared not to notice, and he tousled his fiery hair before looking up, dark pupils enveloped by green mist staring directly in front of him.

At that moment, Ino and Neji chose to come out, arguing.

The platinum blonde froze and immediately shut up. Ice blue clashed with pale jade.

Ino was sure that she felt something between her and Gaara before he broke eye contact.

Gaara smirked before walking forward. "Hey Uchiha!" He called out tauntingly. "Didn't you want to try a hand at driving my car?"

"Gaara!" Naruto called out. The cerulean eyed blond waved energetically.

"Hey, Uzumaki," Gaara nodded towards him companionably as he walked closer towards him. "Hyuga."

"Sup, Subaku." Neji nodded back.

Ino was slightly shocked. Wasn't he the boy in her flower shop yesterday?

He looked…handsome. And hot. And a little scary. She ducked behind Neji.

She peeked out from behind Neji, and found that he was staring at her again.

Again, when her wide turquoise eyes caught his subtle stare, she was doubly sure that something was registered between them. A tingle ran down her spine, and she thought she saw something flicker in the fathomless depths.

Her eyes traveled up to his tattoo right above his left eye as the wind blew away to reveal the red inked skin. Love? In kanji, no less.

Gaara was pleased to see a slight glaze in the petite blonde's lovely blue-eyed stare.

He instantly liked her.

She was very pretty, and seemingly innocent. She had a sort of delicate grace.

Surprisingly, he didn't feel an ache of any sort, from his unstable side. He felt in control, and calm. Unlike his almost-normal, turmoil, stormy state.

"Where's Sakura?" Sasuke asked. "And what about Satoshi? I need to take him home."

He was torn between being responsible and his lust to drive that car of Gaara's.

"Don't worry." The mocking tone from his voice disappeared. His normal, soft, harshly-edged voice regained its appearance. He glanced off into the distance.

He could hear quite easily a long string of curses (cursing him), about five blocks away.

Ino shivered a little bit at the daunting, strangely combined edges in Gaara's voice. His voice was quiet, but jagged and harsh.

"Don't worry." He said again.

A bright yellow Porsche 911 ripped recklessly into the parking lot. Loudly. In return, it almost hit Gaara's car.

Sakura stepped out, the picture of tranquility, peacefulness and beauty.

She was wearing a blue ruffled cap sleeve dress that went down a little bit past the butt, over dark, slimly fitted jeans, and bell-blue Converse.

Quickly, Neji and Sasuke snapped to attention.

She glided towards her smirking brother. "Very funny, Subaku No Gaara." She hissed.

She already noticed the four standing there, with an unfamiliar long-haired blonde, and instantly, her scowling expression completely changed. "Hello." She said pleasantly.

Ino finally stepped out and was shocked at the drop-dead-gorgeous, emerald eyed bombshell in front of her. "Hello." She said timidly. She was really amazed at how beautiful Sakura was, much more vivid and striking than herself.

Sakura turned her attention to Ino for the first time. "Hello!" she chirped. She smiled at the blonde.

Satoshi came running over, and stopped at the sight of Sakura. "Nanny!" He cheered. He ran towards her and immediately crushed her legs.

"Hey, Satoshi-kun!"

He let go, and hopped over to Ino. "Hi, Ino!" He sang happily, and crushed her legs as well.

Ino's pretty oval face broke out in a smile. "Hello, Satoshi! So this is your nanny?" She gestured aimlessly at Sakura.

"Yup! She's really nice, and she had pink hair and she knows a lot of things, like folding paper airplanes and cranes!" He rambled excitedly.

"I'm Haruno Sakura."

"Yamanka Ino."

Sakura leaned towards Ino. "Actually, I'm the maid at the Uchiha mansion." She whispered confidentially.

"I'm a childhood friend, I guess, of these three." Ino pointed at Naruto, Neji and Sasuke. "We grew up together."

The entire time, Gaara was watching Ino carefully.

Gaara spoke up. "I better get going. Are you coming, Uchiha?" And without another word, he strode towards his toy.

"Bye. You guys coming over later?"

"Yep," said Naruto cheerily, and Ino nodded.

"I have to go too. I have to take Satoshi home." Sakura slipped her hand into the little boys' hand and started off to her Porsche, which was currently blocking Gaara's toy.

"Hey, Gaara." Sakura called. The redhead straightened up.

"Yeah?"

"See you later. You back out now; I'll kill you and make you pay for the damages." She threatened playfully.

"Hn." He decided, out of the blue, to kiss his sister on the cheek.

Sakura laughed, and kissed his cheek back.

**..:****花****:..**

Ino's heart cracked. So the really cute redhead, who was eyeing her earlier, the one boy she met in the flower shop, had a girlfriend. The sweet, model-worthy pink-haired girl was his girlfriend.

She should have known.

She bit her lip, holding back tears threatening to spill over.

She was a tough girl, she had dealt with an uncounted list of break-ups and heartbreaks, but why did this one, the one that never even happened, hurt so much?

**..:****花****:..**

Sasuke felt…jealous and angry. His mind was in turmoil.

So Sakura was Subaku's girlfriend.

He should have known.

That made him want her even more, as since she seems unattainable.

That made him the ever-more determined to get the pink-haired beauty.

He, Uchiha Sasuke, was definitely going to snatch Sakura away from Gaara.

…Though, he better be nice now, because Gaara, however he may be standing in the way of his wanted female as her boyfriend, is still letting him drive his Lamborghini, the Uchiha's dream car.

Uh-oh, someone better go warn Sakura.

**..:****花****:..**

Neji felt a bitter distaste in his mouth.

So Sakura, girl of his dreams, had a boyfriend.

He should have known.

That weird, eyeliner-wearing, mysterious Sabaku No Gaara.

A lowly gardener. With a coveted car. Strange, but whatever.

And she's a maid. With a Porsche. Again, what the hell, but whatever.

Anyways, he, Hyuga Neji, always gets what he wants. No replacements wanted.

Yikes. Sakura better watch her back.

**..:****花****:..**

Gaara could smell the oncoming clash.

He could feel the determination of both mortal males. And the anger and hate directed to him.

He could also feel and smell the little fragile tears of Ino.

He felt a little guilty.

Okay, a lot guilty.

But he focused on telling Sasuke on how to properly drive his toy without killing or hitting anything, ignoring the slight pain in his non-beating heart.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura helped the tiny Uchiha into her baby. She made sure he was strapped in.

She could also smell the tears. She felt sorry and guilty as well.

Being a female, she could feel something, brewing between her dear brother and Ino. She seemed sweet enough not to break her brother's heart, but defiant enough to try and be in control and help him. She could tell.

Also, that blonde girl seemed to have a sort of calming effect on her brother. She could sense it, when was staring at her.

That, Sakura decided, was something good. Usually his mind's in storm and unstable, and a little lost in its depths.

Though, around the girl for a little bit, such a short time, seemed to have let him find land in his mind.

Sakura was buckled herself in. "Are you ready, Satoshi?"

"Yes!" Was the bubbly, happy reply.

"Hold on. I tend to go very fast." And she zipped out recklessly of the parking lot, ignoring the envious stares.

**..:****花****:..**

_Not much chemistry there for Sasuke and Sakura. Sorry._

_I think this chapter is a bit messy._

_Now you have it. Gaara and Ino. I personally don't care too much on this pairing, I prefer GaaSaku, but I thought it might be a good touch. It's sweet._

_I know, Ino is a bit different. I guess the presence of two very gorgeous vampires makes her shy. _

_And no, Ino is mortal._

_I'd like long-ish reviews. _

_And I'd like to know your favourite parts._

_TroublesomeGirl, you don't have to. –smiles- I know you can't write long reviews._

_And I know, so far, nothing is really happening. _

_Love,_

_pureazure_


	7. Compliments and Kissing of the Bath

_**An important note: Anyone, seriously, steal this plot, I will get seriously pissed. And do everything in my power to destroy you. I'm not kidding. It's a pretty unique plot, and anyone find a story with a similar plot and the story is younger than mine, please tell me. Though the vampire part, it's open to anyone. I don't own vampires.**_

_**Though if the story is older, than don't worry. I made and got this plot up myself, I didn't steal it.**_

_On a lighter note, is there a such thing as overdose on cookies? Because I think I did._

_And Scarlet, darling, please be very careful when reading this chapter._

_And I know you have an account, Ukeire. Thanks for being the first reviewer!_

_To Shadow Blackheart, that's alright! I forgive you! Thank you!_

_And I finally found out which half of Mello-MattLiveOn4ever reads and reviews this story. Thank you, K!_

_Seriously, Scarlet. I mean it. Be very careful._

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Seven

-

Compliments and Kissing of the Bath

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura sped easily into the driveway of the Uchiha mansion.

She and Satoshi climbed out, and walked through the double oak doors, and Sakura chided Satoshi into his room to go change into something comfortable.

Herself, her jeans were comfortable, but she didn't really feel like wearing such a floaty, lightweight shirtdress, so she stepped into the bathroom, and whipped off the cap-sleeve shirt to reveal her red spaghetti-strap tank top with black lace that she wore previously that morning.

She balled up her shirt, and walked outside to put it in her 'baby'. She first made sure that Satoshi was in his bedroom still before going outside.

She tossed the shirt into the front driver's seat, and straightened up. She stretched her arms carefully, and rolled her neck before catching sight of the same sedan from this morning, coming into the driveway.

It came to a stop, and Neji got out. He was dressed in a medium green t-shirt, and blue pants.

"Hello, Hyuga-sama!" She called out, albeit slyly and shy-sounding.

"Hello yourself, Sakura." Neji strode up to her. "Aren't you supposed to take care of Satoshi? Or are you watching for…Uchiha and-" Everything but spat out venomously "Subaku?"

A sparkle, unnoticed by Neji, shined in Sakura's emerald eyes.

So the Hyuga boy was actually jealous of her own brother! Her honest-to-god blood-related brother! She nearly laughed.

She wondered how Sasuke was faring, having to sit next to her dear handsome jade-eyed brother, with, she gauged from yesterday, with probable overwhelming anger and jealousy, and having to be nice to him because her lovely brother had let him have a joyride in his toy.

She cursed the thing that Lamborghini had graciously given him, free of charge.

Not that she was on bad terms with her favorite car brands, but still! She hated it, only because Gaara drove it almost always nearly into her beautiful 'babies'. And that brain-dead idiot most of the time drove that annoying toy.

She, on the other hand, liked to switch every so often.

Like cars, like boys.

Then she felt a tiny prick of guilt when she glossed over Sasuke and Gaara to Ino.

That was definitely stupid and idiotic and pure genius of him to kiss his sister on the cheek in an affectionate manner, or a seemingly affectionate manner.

Hell, that was a brotherly-sisterly kiss!

Not that she was a certified expert on love, but she was a girl, even though a bloodsucker, vampire, undead, zombie, mushroom, fish, whatever, but she was still a damn girl and she could tell that Miss Ino Yamanka, that pretty thing, Sakura would admit, was in love with her brother.

Or at least crushing, or partially in love with her handsome, unloved, love-tattooed, jade-eyed sexy hell of a brother!

Sakura snapped to attention when Neji softly tapped her on the shoulder. "Shall we go in?" He offered charmingly as possible.

Sakura remained composed, unaffected and calm, even though her mind was racing a mile a minute. "Of course, Hyuga-sama. Satoshi might be worried, and you may be getting cold."

She flashed a wry smile as she noticed a faint sprinkle of pink scattered across the bridge of his aristocrat shaped nose and high cheekbones the moment she spoke.

She walked up the steps, and held the door open for him.

The boy blushed a tiny darker, having a female hold the door for him, instead of the other way around.

"No need, Sakura." Neji held the door open wider, to prove that he could do it himself.

"Ah, are you sure, Hyuga-sama? It is my job to care for Satoshi and Uchiha-sama and his guests while they stay at his house." She hinted teasing and slyness.

Satoshi rushed down the stairs. He was wearing dark navy blue board shorts and a lighter blue t-shirt. He stopped when he saw Neji.

"Hi, Neji-niisan! You're early!" The little boy jumped off the last two steps, and Neji caught him in his arms easily.

"Hey, Satoshi." He set the little dark-haired boy gently on the ground. Satoshi turned to Sakura.

"Nanny, I'm thirsty!" He said, pouting slightly.

Sakura melted at the little boy, and she crouched down child-height. "Alright, Satoshi-kun, what would you like to drink?"

"Um…." The tiny Uchiha male scrunched up his face in thought. "Uh, apple juice, please!" He beamed brightly.

"Okay." Sakura straightened up, ruffled Satoshi's hair and turned slowly to the direction of Neji. "And you, Hyuga-sama?" She spoke seductively and lightly. She glazed powerfully into the pale white eyes of the Hyuga.

He looked almost shyly back, taken back at the intensity of the glaze, but managed to answer coherently. "Just a glass of water is fine." He managed without stuttering or anything of that sort.

Without another word, Sakura scooped up Satoshi effortlessly into her arms, and glided up the stairs into the kitchen.

Neji was about to start up the stairs, when the doorbell rang and a heavy pounding was heard.

He swung open the door, where Naruto and Ino stood.

"Hey, Neji." Ino smiled at the long-haired Hyuga, and Naruto flashed a grin at him.

"Yo, Uzumaki, Ino." He opened the door wider to let them in.

Naruto was wearing black cutoff khakis, and a dull orange shirt. He kicked off his shoes, and began to walk gangly up the stairs.

Ino, on the other hand, was wearing a deep purple tank top, and a knee length turquoise skirt and black leggings. She slipped off her matching purple ballerina flats, and gracefully floated up the stairs, with Neji right behind her.

Sakura had already felt the cheerful presence of Naruto and the nervously calm one of Ino, but she didn't fail to look surprised when they came in along with Neji.

She stopped pouring Neji's glass of water, and smiled carefully but sweetly as possible as to not show fangs.

Satoshi, who was sitting in a chair, sipping his apple juice, placed his half-full glass down and rushed over to greet the newcomers.

"Hi, Naruto-niisan! Hi, Ino-neechan!" He sang out, and immediately squished Ino's legging-covered appendages.

"Hey, Satoshi-chan!" Ino gasped out. Even though Satoshi always did that to her, she couldn't get over the surprise. She turned to Sakura with the best of her ability, because having a little boy stuck to her legs tends to cause problems with turning.

The pink-haired female smiled at her. Ino really couldn't hate her at all, she was so nice and show-stopping beautiful. "Hello, Sakura."

"Yamanka-sama." Sakura gave another smile. "Uzumaki-sama, hello!"

"Oh, you don't have to call me that!" Ino stuttered out. It felt really awkward to have a girl so gorgeous and the same age, call her that. "Please, just Ino."

"Okay then, Ino. Would you like to have something to drink?"

"Sure. Um, a Coke is fine."

Sakura turned to Naruto. "And you, Uzumaki-sama?"

"Just water." Naruto's eyes wondered for a moment. "Where's the teme and Gaara?"

"I guess they aren't back yet. Gaara took Sasuke out for a spin in his toy." Sakura finished pouring a second and the half-empty glasses to the brim with water, before retrieving a can of Coke for Ino.

She politely handed a glass of water to Naruto, the can of Coke to Ino respectively.

Sakura carefully handed the glass to Neji, like she did for Naruto, but she saw how deeply concentrated Neji was on looking down, that she moved slightly closer towards him.

Her slim fingers were carefully threaded on one side of the glass, and Neji's calloused fingers held onto the other side.

Now, Sakura was short. At least a head or so shorter than Neji.

So when the emerald-eyed female flicked her eyes up, they immediately met unsuspecting pearly white ones which were gazing down in concentration to not spill the glass.

Neji startled in surprise at the passionately intense green eyes that met his.

But he wasn't so sure, as Sakura's eyes immediately dropped towards the ground, in an embarrassed state, at least that is what it seemed to Neji. She let go of the glass.

In reality, Sakura had conveniently dropped her head because she was silently giggling at the sight of a surprised face. She didn't know why, but she had always found surprised faces hilarious.

The others hadn't noticed the exchange between the Hyuga and the pink-haired female.

The other reason that she had just felt her dearest brother's stormy presence, which sometimes was still a surprise, an annoyance and a worry to her, when it came at unsuspecting, vulnerable moments. Not that she was vulnerable, but it did come at unsuspecting moments.

A few seconds later, Sasuke, still in his school uniform, and Gaara, in all his glory, appeared in the doorway.

There was a distinct shine and childish happiness in Sasuke, like a child to got a toy that they wanted.

Sakura flicked her head up, and caught and shared a special look with her twin brother. He smirked painfully, and she shot a smirk back.

She easily knew that Gaara really wanted to get things cleared up as fast as possible. She knew her brother.

Gaara was thankful that his sister decided to dip into his favor and not stretch out agonizingly. He knew his sister, and her style.

Sakura skimmed towards her sibling, and threw her arms around his tall muscular figure. "Hello, dear brother!" She exclaimed.

Four faces blanked into pure, unadulterated shock.

One child-like face, though, giggled at his niisans and neechan's expressions. They looked very funny.

Of course Satoshi knew. The little boy could tell right off the start. They looked like brother and sister. They had green eyes, and pink is a shade of red! Because white and red make pink! So their hair was the same too, like twins!

He definitely remembered from school about colors.

Plus, he had heard Gaara and Miss Sakura exchange words like "brother" and "sister" and "idiot".

"Hello, dear sister." Gaara patted her shoulder awkwardly. His lean arms wrapped around her in a brotherly, oddly comforting way.

They separated, and Sakura leaned comfortably into Gaara's side, where he had an arm wrapped around her.

Naruto was the first to speak. In fact, the only one that wasn't too shocked to talk. Not that he was not shocked at all, but he was just the least shocked than the others. But still very, very shocked, of course.

"Wha-what? You…you are….brother and…..and…..sister?" Naruto managed to choke out.

Gaara looked mildly around the room, very amused at everyone's reactions.

He replied amusedly in his ironically soft and harshly-edged voice. "Yes."

Ino felt her vision wobble. She felt faint. "You guys are really b-brother and s-sister?" She managed to squeak out. She felt dizzy now. She clutched the counter, her knuckles turning white. Everything was spinning…

"We're twins." Sakura finished. Inwardly, she was laughing. She loved everyone's expressions.

"Loosely speaking." Gaara watched Ino carefully, she looked like she was about to topple over.

Neji wasn't able to make a sound. So they were really only brother and sister? So that kiss on the cheek could have been defined as a sibling kiss. But he had defined it as a 'couple' kiss.

He felt so stupid. He was supposedly a genius, yet he couldn't tell that there was a pair of twins standing in front of him. He felt like an idiot.

Sasuke was fuming. He should have known that! Though his father didn't mention anything. He was pissed at himself.

Everyone was tumbled out of their thoughts as Ino swayed dangerously on the spot, her eyes closing.

She was about to faint.

Neji made to try and catch her, as did Sasuke, but Gaara, being the closest towards her, quickly caught her body before she fell.

A silent look passed between Sakura and Gaara. They really didn't expect such a reaction.

"Here. I'll take her to a place where she can lie down." Gaara spoke gruffly. Neji and Sasuke and Naruto nodded.

They were worried for Ino, and they somewhat trusted Gaara to take care of her for the time being. Much to Gaara's delight.

Gaara swept her up gently, bridal style, and exited the room.

A few silent minutes passed, interrupted by the ticking of a clock, and the clinks of glasses landing on the countertop.

Suddenly, Neji and Naruto's cellphones rang at the same time.

Both of them picked up, sharing questioning looks, and held it to their ears.

At the same time, both of them yanked the phones away from their ears.

There was a loud shrieking heard, and talking in a garbled way.

Neji cautiously spoke into the phone. "Uh, Hanabi? I cannot make any sense of what you're saying."

Naruto added "Yeah, you're talking way too fast and loud."

There was a huffing on the other line, clearly heard. This time, everyone heard what the little girl on the other end was trying to say.

"Hinata is hurt. She broke her ankle. I'm at the hospital with her right now. You idiots better come."

Naruto jumped. "See you later, teme. Bye, Sakura. Bye, Satoshi." And he rushed out the door, extremely worried for his little lavender-eyed girlfriend.

Neji took a little longer, as he was shaken that his cousin was hurt, but glad it wasn't too serious. So he took his time in leaving.

He made his way towards Sakura. She quirked up an eyebrow.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Sakura." He stared into Sakura's bright green eyes.

She stared impassively back. "It is a pleasure to see you also, Hyuga-sama." She gave one of her most captivating smiles.

He snatched her hand, and pressed it to his lips. "Goodbye."

This time, Sakura didn't blush, but brought her hand up to her smooth cheek and neck, as if slightly embarrassed.

He let go of her hand, and disappeared.

Hyuga Neji left, but he left with a possessive and curious glare searing into his back.

"Sasuke-niisan, you didn't know that Sir Gaara and Miss Sakura were brother and sister?" Satoshi asked, the picture of childish innocence, looking up curiously at the tall, hulking figure of the other male Uchiha.

"No." His answer was flat.

"Well, I did! It was very obvious." The little boy shrugged his shoulders. "Miss Sakura, I need to take a bath." He smiled shyly up at her.

"Sakura snapped to attention. "Of course, sweetie. You're a mess." She gave a sweet smile. She lifted him out of the chair he was sitting in easily, and twisted her body so he was on her back. "I'll run the water, and you get your clothes. Do you need help washing your hair?"

"No, thank you, Nanny." And the pair of them disappeared from the kitchen.

It took ten seconds for Sasuke to decide to follow them.

Sakura was already running warm water, while Satoshi was busily digging though his drawers and closet for clothing.

Sasuke leaned against the door jamb of Satoshi's room as he watched his nephew busily dig through everything in search of clothing.

Satoshi finally straightened up, carrying an armful of assorted colored fabrics. He nodded towards Sasuke and made his way to his washroom. Sasuke followed him, and resumed position at the door.

Sakura was kneeling beside the bathtub, carefully watching the water. She tested it with a finger, and declared it fine for the little boy to go in. Satoshi thanked her, and Sakura left the bathroom, closing the door behind her softly.

Sakura sighed gently. She was so goddamned tired. She should have rested. And she already started to feel tiny hunger pangs already. They didn't bother her; it was only a warning that her body needed nourishment sooner or later.

She awoke from her thoughts as she felt a heavy stare upon her. She turned, and met an onyx eyed, glazed-over, half-lidded stare.

"What can I do for you, Uchiha-sama?" She purred.

He raised his eyelids to give her a full-blown Uchiha glare. "What was that all about?" He hissed.

"What was what all about?" She asked. Though she already knew the answer. "You just learned Gaara is my dear brother."

"No, I meant Hyuga." He practically spat, clenching his hands into tight, balled-up fists.

Though, he did feel that hint of relief that Gaara was her brother, instead of a boyfriend.

She feigned memory. "Oh, that. I'm not exactly sure, it also happened yesterday, when he left."

It was dark in the hallway, no lights were on, but it was light enough for Sasuke to see the silhouettes of both of her hands rising to cover her cheeks. He took that as a sign.

Sakura dropped her hands, and let them fall to her sides. Her cheeks were really cold, so she put her hands on them. Really. Really, her cheeks were cold!

At the moment, Sasuke grabbed Sakura's arms, and pulled her towards him. He brought one hand up to hold her elongated neck and head, and smashed his lips on hers.

**..:****花****:..**

Gaara laid Ino gently on the couch. He sat down in a chair across from her.

She was definitely the most gorgeous thing he had ever seen in his lifetime.

He reached out a hand to brush away flyaway strands of hair crowning her face.

She stirred a little at his touch, but otherwise didn't wake.

He took his time in just plainly looking at her, all the while tracing his tattoo on his forehead with a finger over and over again.

She had amazingly flawless pale skin, not unlike his own. Her hair was the color of bleached straw, and she had beautifully formed hands. Her lips were full, pink and pouty.

He liked the way she dressed, too.

Because he and Sakura always wore usually red, maroon, black, white, and slightly old-fashioned Gothic or Victorian or plain attire all the time, he was fascinated at the colors she wore. They complimented her body and skin perfectly.

Her eyelids fluttered again, but she still didn't wake up.

Suddenly, Gaara felt a small bead of sweat drip down from the back of his neck, and down his starched-collar shirt. He didn't realize how warm it was in here.

He turned to the side, and began to unbutton the first couple of buttons of his maroon button-up shirt.

At that moment, Ino chose to wake up, the very moment Gaara lifted the button-up shirt over his head.

Fuck the buttons. It was way easier to undo a few and yank the stupid shirt over his head.

Ino opened her ice-blue orbs, and was met by the sight of very muscular, lean arms tugging up a maroon shirt, revealing a fine-fitting black tank top that showcased a fine, muscular torso, and a single silver chain.

She felt her face burn up immediately, but her eyes were glued onto Gaara's body.

Gaara let out a growl. Stupid shirt. He guessed that he should have unbuttoned at least another stupid button.

She nearly giggled at the sight. She sat up, and reached for the source of his trouble, and popped the button.

He whisked the shirt off his head. He growled again. "Stupid shirt." He slightly flexed his arms a tiny bit. "Thank you." He said gruffly.

"You're welcome."

There was an uncomfortable, tension-filled silence, before Ino broke it.

"Sakura is really your sister?" She fiddled with the end of her skirt.

He turned to focus onto her. "Yes. Sadly. Though it isn't too bad."

She looked up at him. His focus was solely on her, and he was only paying attention to her. She shivered. "It can't be that bad."

"…Actually, it can. And don't worry about mixing us up, thinking that we're a couple or something. It happens all the time, we don't look enough alike." He folded his hands together.

Ino's mind fell silent. She didn't really know what to say now. That last statement practically answered everything. But her mouth had other ideas. "Do you have a girlfriend?" She covered her mouth with one hand.

He only looked amused at her question and movement. "No. I don't." Then a tiny wave of hunger hit him.

He ignored it. It happened all the time. Though, he decided to do something to hold it off a little. "I'm going to get something to drink." He looked questioningly at her, imposing a silent question.

"Oh! No, I don't want anything!" She attempted a nervous smile.

"Alright then." He stared unblinkingly into her eyes, willing her not to break her gaze.

Both felt something spark between their drowning into each other's face.

He looked away, and stood up slowly, stretching his stiffening muscles. He was about to walk away, but not before he looked at her again.

He spoke in his lilting, harshly soft voice. "You have very beautiful eyes. I've never seen a blue like it before."

He blushed faintly at having spoken the compliment, and quickly walked away. He really needed something to drink now.

Ino's ice-blue eyes blinked several times. Did he just compliment her? She flushed a dark pink immediately.

**..:****花****:..**

_Holy crap, that was long. Twelve pages is a ton of work for me. And filled with such stuff and fluff._

_I'm not going to apologize for the wait, because I hope this chapter was worth the wait._

_I want to hear your favorite parts, any chapter, as always._

_Review please!_

_Next on my update list: Seduction Lessons. _

_Love,_

_pureazure_


	8. Invitations of Italy and the Mouth

_Seriously, who doesn't adore love triangles?_

_I want you to go check out my new story, All Black, starring GaaSaku._

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Eight

-

Invitations of Italy and the Mouth

**..:****花****:..**

She had closed her eyes.

She had wrapped a leg around his, crushing and tangling with his own.

She had snaked her arms around his neck, fingers weaved and tugging his utterly soft dark hair.

The only thing Sakura didn't do was kiss back.

Her lips remained motionless, frozen in place.

Which only burned more desire and fury in Uchiha Sasuke more.

He flicked, sucked, ran his tongue over the pouty, poised red bloom that remained tightly shut.

He nibbled on her bottom lip, tried forcing his tongue in between the soft, firm lips, but no avail.

He was furious. Her body was showing very, very blatant signs of encouragement that drove him over the edge.

Finally, he pulled away in pure confusion. He stared into the death-white face in front of him, supported by his hands, searching the perfectly heart-shaped face for any sign of a sort.

The pique red bloom curled up and thinned into a slow smirk.

The first thing that Sakura thought was that he was an impressive, luxurious kisser.

Good technique, and she was very much dazzled by his kissing.

He was probably one of the exceedingly few that can aim straight on for the entire set of lips, not miss, _and _be so fast and direct.

Most, if not almost all the boys she kissed were definitely unable to do that. Most of them missed, getting only half or the corner of her precious extremity that she used and adored so much and was just abused by Sasuke. Or they just came down with an embarrassingly annoying, laggard, terrible speed that she personally detested.

In other words, she hated it when boys came down kissing too slow of a descent. She definitely was fixed upon, close to the point of obsession, break-neck-speed, seemingly-unstoppable forces-type technique of kissing.

She licked her lips slowly, temptingly, dragging her pink tongue across her seemingly-deep red lips as she gauged Sasuke's reaction.

She fluttered her eyelids, her dark eyelashes curled back that seemed to make her already big, water-clear emerald-colored eyes even bigger, and the effect was astonishingly not innocent in the least, rather making Sakura look… mischievously naughty.

She gave a rather scorching, sensually carnal smile that matched her eyes. "Good night, Uchiha-sama. I believe it is time for me to go."

She slipped noiselessly down the hallway, taking tiny, quick steps.

Sasuke snatched her bare, unsurprisingly smooth apple-white arm violently, causing the pink-haired temptress to jerk around to face the much-taller muscular figure of the Uchiha.

He stared at her blankly, question etched clearly into his face.

She only quirked her eyebrows and looked up at him. She now wore a deviously knowing smile. She easily slid her arm from Sasuke's grasp, and slipped away into the darkness of the long hallway.

Sasuke growled a low irate sound of displeasure. He was infuriated. Why the hell was Sakura not responding to anything he did? He just _fucking _kissed her, and she did not do a fucking thing against it!

Why the hell wasn't she reacting at all? Scratch that, why the hell wasn't she kissing back?

Was he the terrible kisser? He highly doubted it.

Either she was a terrible kisser, and didn't want to show it, or she was horribly good at playing with him, horribly too good at this sport.

He really, really sincerely hoped it was the former.

**..:****花****:..**

Ino was standing down in the foyer, putting on her shoes when Sakura floated down the staircase.

"Hello, Ino!" Sakura smiled normally, sitting down on the steps to put on her shoes.

"Hello, Sakura." Ino nodded.

"Going home?" The rosette asked, standing up.

"Yes." Ino nodded, and went towards the door. "You too?"

"Yes."

Gaara appeared behind Sakura. "Hey." He poked her. "Ready to go?"

"Hey yourself, brother." She flicked his tattoo.

Sakura nodded. "Ino, do you need a ride?" She inquired.

"Oh, no I don't. I live kinda close to here; I really don't need a ride. Thanks anyway." Ino smiled.

"Oh, why not? I'll take you home." Sakura gently grasped the blonde girl's arm. "Gaara, you go on ahead. I'll meet you at home."

"Oh no, you don't need to!" Ino waved her hands frantically in a 'no' motion. "I live really close!"

"It's alright. I don't mind. I'm in no hurry to go home." Sakura began to gently drag Ino out.

Gaara smiled, entertained, at Ino, who was frantically shaking her head no, looking distraught. "I think I will be leaving now." He walked out the door.

Ino sighed. "Bye Sasuke!" She called out. "Bye Satoshi!" And she allowed herself to be dragged out the door by the pinkette.

She was thrust into the passenger seat, while Sakura slipped smoothly into the driver's spot. "Fasten your seatbelt, Ino-chan. Now, where do you live?"

"Um, ten houses down from here, on the left. It's a blue house."

Without warning, Sakura sped out of the driveway. Ino shrieked and clutched the armrest.

"Oh, sorry! I forgot to mention, I tend to go pretty fast." Sakura apologized.

"Um, is it possible to go a bit slower, please?" Ino gasped out. She was frightened out of her wits at the colossal speed Sakura normally drove at.

"Sure." Sakura went at a more slower pace, obeying the law. Ino gradually released the death grip she had on the sleek leather armrest. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

Things remained silent until Sakura eased into the driveway of a blue house. "Is this it?" She asked.

"Yes." Ino nodded, and climbed out of the car. Or rather, stumbled. "Um, bye."

"Bye!" Sakura chirped. She zipped out of the driveway, and watched as the pretty little blonde walked up the stepping-stone style walkway up to the house. She turned and gave the pinkette an awkward wave, which Sakura returned. She unlocked the door and stepped into the house as Sakura zoomed away.

Okay, she really wanted to talk to her twin brother, soon. She yanked out her cellphone, a silver and black affair. She located the number '1' on speed-dial. "Hello?"

A hoarse voice replied. "Sakura."

"Gaara-kun, dinner? We have to take precautions, you know?"

"Nope. Temari's here, with her boyfriend, husband or whatever they are right now."

"See you in a few." She snapped the cellphone shut.

Not that she had a problem with her lovely older sister, but that was random. Sakura supposed that they were visiting.

And how Aburame Shino managed to keep The Free-Floating Heartbreaker Sabaku No Temari was beyond her words.

She zipped into the expansive, beautiful driveway of her mansion. Sakura sighed. She parked next to a giant helicopter, her sister's, as the stupid thing was blocking all the exits to the enormous, ever-expanding car garage.

She stomped up to the door, and slipped inside. She could already smell Temari's flowery rose and sandalwood scent.

"Hello? Temari? Gaara? Shino?" She called out. She walked into the sitting room.

"Sakura!" A golden blonde stood up and rushed to embrace the pinkette.

"Temari!" Sakura returned the hug with vigor.

"What brings you here, big sister?" She asked, sitting down on the velvety plush of an armchair. Temari settled herself on a brocade loveseat, where a quiet Shino sat, conversing quietly with Gaara, who was sitting on an identical armchair.

"Oh, nothing! Dropping by to see you, baby sister, and baby brother! I already saw Sasori, the puppet-head. I saw big brother, but I didn't get to see little brother." She trilled. She laughed, Sakura giggling.

"How are they, anyways? Create any good art at all?"

"Nah." Temari snorted. "At least, to me. They moved to Versailles."

"I know. It's so pretty there! How's England, then? Is it better than here?" Sakura poked a piece of fluff.

"I'm living in Italy now! I love it there!" Temari gushed. "Kankuro came for a day, to look at our new villa! It's in Terracina, it's a pretty obvious one; it has our style ingrained into it. You and baby brother should come visit!"

"Visit what?" Shino asked, in a lilting, husky voice. Temari blushed a fraction.

"Have my baby sister and brother come visit us in Italy!" She warbled excitedly.

"That would be nice." Gaara uttered softly. "Warm, sunny Italy. Nice location you two chose, by the water."

"Yes." Shino spoke. "And the food is good there too."

Everybody burst into laughter.

"I bet so." Sakura expressed wryly.

"So what are you and Gaara up to these days?" Temari asked.

"Do you remember Uchiha Fugaku? We're working for him right now." Sakura threw a glare at her blue-eyed sister, who was about to say a word. "We were bored, me and brother here, so we asked him for a job."

"Wow." Shino said. "You two have extreme guts to do that, going so close to humans like that."

Gaara nodded. "Yes. We're taking care of a little boy and an older boy who's about seventeen-eighteen."

Temari looked impressed. Then she glanced at the clock.

"Shit! Baby brother, sister, bye! We have a wine-tasting back in Italy to attend to!" The golden blonde hugged her reluctant red-haired brother and squeezed her pinkette sister.

"I love you!" And she and Shino whisked themselves out the door, and in a few minutes, a loud, choppy wind sound cut sharply through the air, and slowly faded away.

"That was weird. Was that the real reason why Shino and Temari were here? Just to check up on us?" Sakura asked Gaara.

"Yes. It's not like they haven't done that before. I asked Shino. They really did go see Sasori and Kankuro." Gaara yawned widely, blinking charcoal-rimmed jade eyes. "Right now, Shino and big sister divorced, and are on boyfriend-girlfriend status."

"Not again! They can just get married over and over!" Sakura groaned. "Temari-chan!"

"Let's not go into their deep details of their little psychotic relationship, now. You know how deranged they are." Gaara shook his head. "Hell knows that they are the most terrible couple in history. Apparently, Shino actually issued it this time."

"Really? That's a first! Can we stop talking about those idiots now? What about Kankuro and big brother?" Sakura sighed. "Psycho Tema-chan, she was talking too fast and skipping over to a million different subjects."

Gaara smirked. "Well, Shino told me they moved Versailles, which we knew already. That was all."

"Whatever. They didn't touch our place in Bordeaux, right?" Sakura pressed.

"We all have about a hundred houses in France, not including Mother and Father's. Of course they would, idiot. We all share, you know." Gaara rolled his eyes at his sister's stupidity.

She smacked him. "Anyways, are you up for a little snack?"

"We do have to take precautions." He answered.

She scrutinized her brother for a second. "You think we are completely ready to go out?"

"No, we are not going to a club and snatch dinner. It tastes horrible. Alcohol in it tastes horrible."

"Someone random off the street, then?"

**..:****花****:..**

_I'm sorry, I did promise that I would update Seduction Lessons, but this one came first._

_I love ShinoTema. They are the most dysfunctional couple, I adore them._

_Be nice and go check out my new story, I promise it will be barely anything, maybe five chapters or so. IT'S CALLED All Black._

_Subject to change..._

…_It's GaaSaku. And you, SasuSaku fan, better go check it out. NOW. _

_It might change your mind. Because it did for me. Now I love both GaaSaku and SasuSaku._

_Anyways! I finished this because I am review-depleted. And school's starting. SHITTTTTTT._

_Love,_

_pureazure_

…_How many people read this ending note, anyway? Tell me! I accept anonymous reviews._


	9. Sickness and Breaking Glass

_Hah, back in writing mode._

_To BloodyBlossoms33, get an account! XD. I AM familiar with the Twilight series, I'm currently too lazy to finish Breaking Dawn. And the answer to the other question, I don't like Neji with Sakura. End of story. I don't count my vampires, but SHINO IS A VAMPIRE. That was an announcement to everybody._

_*Pop* I just killed Sasuke's ego._

_BTW, I'm really glad you all read the ending notes. Most of you, anyways._

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Nine

-

Sickness and Breaking Glass

**..:****花****:..**

_(__3:30 AM__)_

Gaara stepped out into the streetlight, wiping his mouth.

Sakura stepped out of the alley her twin brother came from, also daintily dabbing at the corners of her lips.

Silently, the pair began to walk down the street.

They stopped at a red Lamborghini Miura sitting innocently next to the sidewalk. They climbed in, Gaara in the driver's seat and Sakura in the passenger.

Sakura finally spoke. She talked childishly. "That was messy."

"Yeah. He wouldn't stop thrashing around." Gaara started the engine and took off.

"I'm so bored now, brother. All we do now is go to the Uchiha's house and work."

"That's your problem, sister. I'm rather enjoying myself." He spoke contently.

"You always like it when it's not busy or exciting. Face it Gaara-kun, you are a boring person." Sakura grinned.

Gaara gave a sideways glare. "Did we not have this discussion years ago? Plus, you're the one who's always looking for adventure, Sakura."

"And you're the dull, uninteresting, boring, average person." Sakura listed, grinning, her pearly white fangs glinting from the flash of passing car headlights.

Gaara only eased his foot harder on the gas pedal. He sped down the now-empty road to their house. He violently turned and parked neatly in the driveway.

At the same time, both twins noticed a tiny, lone figure sitting on their steps.

The red-haired boy turned his head a crack. He spoke furiously, dangerously controlled. "Well, sister, it looks like we have excitement on our hands. This is a coincidence."

Sakura only stared at the figure in alarm. Only a single sentence slipped out, whispered hoarsely from her flawless red lips. Her throat ran dry. "What has niisan done?"

**..:花:..**

A certain raven-haired seventeen-year-old male was currently fixing the ceiling with a blank stare.

He wasn't getting any sleep at _all._

He tossed and turned, he turned the heat up and down. He covered himself in blankets, he counted sheep. He took a warm shower; he tried to draw his mind a blank.

_Nothing worked._

It was six AM. He was so tired mentally and physically.

But a certain pink-haired female wouldn't_ leave his fucking mind alone._

Sasuke finally decided to get up. There wasn't any point to lie in bed any longer. He dragged himself into his bathroom.

He looked himself in the mirror, and almost didn't recognize himself.

His skin was cadaverous, sickly, taking on a slightly bluish tint, making his skin seem sallow and waxen. Underneath his eyes were paper-thin pouches of deep purple that practically ballooned. His cheeks looked sunken, his cheekbones protruded out a mile from his face. His onyx eyes held a haunted look, a gaunt, faraway stare manifested in his pupils. His skin was painfully tight in the mirror, emphasizing all the contours and bone structure on his face.

He looked like a skeleton.

Sasuke pinched his cheek. Only a faint pink appeared where he pinched.

He began to brush his teeth mechanically. He went through his entire morning routine automatically, almost instinctively.

Finally, the clock read seven AM. Sasuke eventually reached for his cell phone. He dialed a familiar phone number.

_"Hello?"_

"Oi, Hyuga, I think I'm sick." He rasped into the phone.

_"Okay then. What about Satoshi?"_

"You can come and pick him up."

_"Fine."_

"Call Naruto. Otherwise he'll be yelling at me."

_"What about Ino?"_

"I'll call her."

_"Okay, see you."_

"Bye." He pressed 'end' and dialed again.

_"Nggh. Hello?"_

"Hey, it's me, Sasuke. Morning."

_"Morning. Ugh, what time is it? What's up?" _

"It's seven AM, Ino. I'm sick."

He looked sick more than he felt sick. He was being put through excruciating mental torment.

_"Do you want me to come over and skip school?"_

"Yes."

_"I'll be there in five minutes. You want anything?"_

_Yeah, I want Sakura to stop torturing me. _"Nothing."

_"Okay, bye. I'm gonna to call Neji and tell him not to pick me up."_

The phone hung up. He tossed the phone carelessly on his bed. He decided to go wake up his nephew.

He walked into the little boy's bedroom, and strode over to the lump of blankets. "Satoshi? Time to wake up."

A pitiful, weak cough was heard. "Sasuke-niisan?"

Sasuke's blood ran cold at the hoarse, thick tone of Satoshi's voice.

"Sasuke-niisan, I think I'm sick." Satoshi wriggled out of the blankets a little so Sasuke could see his face.

The tiny Uchiha's face was covered in slick sweat, his eyes puffy and red and dry, cracked lips. A bout of coughing seemed to consume the child.

"Shit." Sasuke swore softly so the boy couldn't hear. "Satoshi, don't get out of bed, okay? Sakura and Gaara will be here soon. They'll do something."

"Okay." He coughed once more, and closed his eyes.

_Fuck._ He practically bolted back into his room, and scrambled to get his phone. He dialed quickly.

_"What now, Uchiha?"_

"Satoshi's really sick. He's coughing badly. Don't come."

_"Okay. Poor kid. I'll talk later. Ino already called me ahead."_

"Bye."

Sasuke tucked his phone into his pocket, and wandered aimlessly down to the kitchen. He rummaged through the fridge for something to eat.

He was about to bite into a tomato when he heard a key click, and the front door opening.

"Hello? Sasuke?"

He stepped out of the kitchen. Ino was pulling off her shoes down in the foyer. "Oi, Ino."

"Hey. What's wrong?" She didn't miss the worried look on his face.

"Satoshi's really sick."

Ino's baby blue eyes widened. She raced up the stairs. She stood in front of him. "Are you serious? How bad?"

"His coughing sounds airless, as if his throat is in pain or something."

Ino bit her lip. "I have no idea how to treat that at all."

"Which is why we have to wait for Gaara and Sakura. They probably know." Sasuke sat down on the stairs, frustrated. Ino joined him.

**..:花:..**

Sakura swerved into the Uchiha driveway. Gaara hopped out immediately. This Maserati Quattroporte wasn't bad at all.

"Next time, I'm driving." He inhaled, then frowned.

"What?" Sakura asked, climbing out herself. She breathed in as well.

It was that haunting, thick and lingering smell of someone sick.

"It smells like Satoshi." Sakura hissed. She hopped out too, and pulled the rear door open. "Kari-chan, come out." She said distractedly.

Two tiny feet swung a body swathed in clothing out of the car. Solemnly, the little girl reached up and grasped Gaara's much-bigger hand silently.

Sakura slammed the door, and Gaara hoisted the little girl in his arms. They walked as calmly as they could towards the grand oak doors.

Gaara's nose twitched. He could smell tears.

Sakura yanked the door open. The air was overpowering with the stench of sickness. It took all her will not to freak out.

"Sakura!" Ino leapt up and rushed down the stairs. "Gaara! Satoshi's really sick!"

There were frightened tears in her gleaming blue eyes.

Gaara felt weak and angry at the sight of the tearful Ino. He wanted to wipe away those tears.

Sakura immediately put on a worried façade. It wasn't exactly fake, it was to hide the fact she already knew that the usually-happy, sunny Uchiha boy was sick. She ran up the staircase, and disappeared down the hallway.

Gaara set the little girl down. She grasped Gaara's hand tightly.

Ino noticed a tiny, Satoshi-sized figure by Gaara's leg. She crouched down to look at her.

"Hello there. I'm Ino." She said gently. She began to study the little girl.

She had long, curly-esque locks of hair tied back with black ribbons. Her hair was a shade that seemed a dark golden blonde with a reddish tint. Her heart-shaped face held a pert nose, pouty-pink lips, delicate eyebrows, high cheekbones with a dusting of pink, and beautiful almond-shaped eyes framed in dark lashes. Her irises were a rusty red-brown.

Wearing a deep pale yellow dress trimmed in white and black lace, black patent Mary Janes and white socks, she was the most adorable female child Ino had ever seen.

"Hello." The girl smiled shyly at Ino. "I am Kari."

Gaara chose this moment to peek down. Kari was still clutching his hand with both of hers, and Ino was smiling at the little girl. He felt a rush of something_ indescribable_ at the sight.

"That's a beautiful name, Kari-chan. It suits you. You can call me neechan, if you like."

The little girl blushed. "Okay, Ino-neechan."

Sasuke appeared behind Ino, and crouched down too. "Hi." He said gruffly. "I'm Sasuke. You can call me niisan."

Kari blinked. "Oh. Okay, Sasuke-niisan." She smiled at him.

Then she looked up. "Gaara-niisan, where's Sakura-neechan?"

"She's off to try and heal the little boy that lives in this house." Gaara spoke quietly.

"Oh! Could I meet him?" And without warning, she let go of Gaara's hand and raced up the stairs, going the same direction Sakura had went to.

"Kari." Gaara took off after her, Ino and Sasuke following them.

The blonde little girl found Satoshi's room easily. She skidded to a stop and shoved the door open.

"Sakura-neechan!" and she raced towards Sakura, who wasn't even fazed by the child's abrupt arrival.

"Kari." Sakura smiled brightly. "Hi!"

Satoshi was lying on his bed, a hot water bottle already on his stomach and a cloth on his forehead. He opened his onyx orbs to see what the commotion was.

At that moment, Gaara, Ino and Sasuke made it to Satoshi's room.

"What's going on, Nanny?" Satoshi tried to sit up. Sakura helped him, propping him up on pillows.

His bleary eyes wandered around the room. Ino-neechan was here, along with Sir Gaara, Sasuke-niisan and Miss Sakura.

His gaze finally fell upon a girl. A girl his age! In his room!

He immediately flushed pink. She was a really, really, really, pretty-looking girl. She had very pretty eyes. And long hair.

He liked long hair.

"Do you have a fever or something? You just turned all pink." The girl said, cocking her head at him.

It took him five mere seconds to summon a quick answer. "I'm sick."

"Duh." She rolled her pretty eyes at him. "You're in bed with a hot water bottle and a thermometer in your armpit." She hopped up on his bed, eyeing him warily.

"I'm Satoshi." He turned on the Uchiha charm and flashed an endearing smile at her.

"I'm Kari." She stuck her tongue out at him. She wasn't affected by the Uchiha charm at all. She turned away from him and asked Sakura a question.

"I'm hungry, Sakura-neechan."

Sakura gave her a wry look. "Look in my bag over there, there should be some cookies in there."

Kari shoved herself off the bed and skipped over to the small backpack Sakura brought, and fished out some chocolate-chip cookies. She stuffed one in her mouth.

Gaara chuckled softly, and then he froze. He felt _it._

Sakura gasped. She felt_ it too._

Then, the giant window in Satoshi's bedroom shattered, the freezing morning air hitting them all.

Then one of _them_ stood there, giggling.

"You know, hiding will only keep you safe for so long."

**..:花:..**

_Well, this chapter ends there._

_DON'T KILL ME!_

_…..and please vote on my poll. It's important for my next story, which won't be out anytime soon._

_BTW, I got a beta. She's oxsilvermoonxo, and she is fucking-fantastic. A stickler on hyphens, though._

**_Beta note: Are you kidding? This girl can put like, five friggin hyphens in like, one sentence. I mean, seriously!_**

**_And don't worry, I am about as outraged as the rest of you at the stupid cliffhanger, and I have no idea what will happen next either. BLAME IT ON PUREAZURE. :D [loves ya too, darlin' ;)]_**

_So what did you think of it? PS, xosilvermoonox knows nothing of my plans for the upcoming chapters. So don't badger her too much. _

_Note of something interesting: This story has surpassed my other story, rich boys and skater girls, in alerts and favorites. Soon to be reviews, too!_

_That makes me so happy. I'm on 158 favorites list, and 196 alerts._

_This kind of means I want reviews. Lots of them._

_PLEASE VOTE ON MY POLL. Unless you have already. _

_Love, _

_pureazure_


	10. Bones and Cooties

_I am not sorry. Plenty of you hate me. Lots of people are guessing. Well, the answers to all your questions are going coming up._

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Ten

-

Bones and Cooties

**..:****花****:..**

"_You know, hiding will only keep you safe for so long."_

Sakura sent a flying kick into the chest of the person who spoke.

He flew over the edge, cackling madly.

Kari looked frightened out of her wits. She burst into tears. "Gaara-niisan! They're back!" She sobbed, rushing into his open arms.

Sakura landed softly on the blue carpet. She turned her attention to the two statuesque people standing on the shattered window ledge.

She bared her own pearly white fangs and hissed. "What do you want?"

Ino's bluebell eyes widened at the sight of Sakura as she took in the sight of her fangs. She glanced fleetingly at Gaara to see if he had the same. Her terror grew when she saw Gaara snarling, his fangs exposed.

The two strangers were grinning horrifically.

Sasuke obviously didn't notice Gaara and Sakura; he was too busy being freaked out by the two people on the window ledge.

What shocked Sasuke the most that was they had _fangs._

_Long, yellowed twin fangs hanging out of their mouths._

Oh, but they were scarily beautiful. So frighteningly beautiful that they seemed hideous.

The female on the left had short, spiky dark hair with golden irises. Her lips were painted a bloody pink. Her hands seemed fragile, until you noticed the long, lacquered nails. She was petite in stature, but the ferocity radiating from her made up for it. She was grinning.

On the right side stood a male with long-ish locks of light brown hair and striking violet eyes. He looked freakishly calm, as if he crashed through windows every day. He was taller than the woman beside him.

He was the one to speak. He spoke in a deep, calming voice. "We have come to-"

Gaara snarled. "We know what the hell you want. Get out of here, bastard. You are not taking her." He drew the crying girl closer to himself.

The female let out a high-pitched giggle. "You think we would give in to your commands? Weakling. Plus, Madame wants her." Her voice was girlish, and several octaves higher than normal, like a doll's voice. Her voice was painful and screechy to hear.

Sakura glared daggers at her. "You mean she want her butt-ugly brainwashed idiot son to have her." She spat coldly, her voice sharp, laced with ice.

The female shrieked indignantly. "How dare you insult Madame's precious son!" And she lunged for Sakura.

The pink-haired female sent a short snap kick into the female, forcing her to stagger backwards into her partner.

Sakura lifted Kari from Gaara's grasp. She smoothed her hair. "You think you can take them out on your own?"

"Yes." Gaara turned, his features twisted in a bloodthirsty smirk. "You take them out of here."

She tossed a shocked Ino and Sasuke over her shoulder. Then she picked up Satoshi, who was bewildered.

"Nanny, what's happening?" He wailed.

"Nothing, darling. Just a little fight for Gaara." She soothed. "I'm taking you somewhere else."

"You are not taking anyone anywhere." The shrill doll voice sang grotesquely. "We are taking the girl, destroying you and your pitiful brother and…" She trailed off. "Those three may make a delicious meal and offering to Madame." She sneered.

Gaara's blood boiled at the thought. The innocent child and Ino given as an _offering_ to Madame…No.

"LIKE HELL YOU ARE!" Gaara roared, his face contorted into a feral mask. He leapt onto the female, and tore into her spine.

Sakura turned, and ran. In three seconds, she reached her car. She carefully placed everybody inside, when she heard a wild, crazy laugh.

"Oh, so you're the vixen who kicked me off the ledge!" It cackled. "You're pretty strong there, huh?"

Sakura turned. "Well, you're the fool who was so weak to allow me to kick you off the ledge!" She snapped back.

"Oh, so the vixen can talk!" The voice mocked. "Let's see how lon-"

And her fist collided with his skull. She savagely squeezed his neck, disintegrating the bones to shards.

"Nice try. I'd like to see how the Madame fixes that!" She muttered. She stepped on his ribs, crushing them with her heel, and picking him up by the legs, squeezing the leg muscles, destroying the bone structure within.

She tossed him aside, dusting off her hands, and climbed into the Maserati. She glanced at the four passengers in the back.

Ino was cradling a still-sobbing Kari, while Sasuke was reclining comfortably, Satoshi squished between him and Ino. Satoshi was watching as Kari cried into Ino's shoulder.

"Okay, I warn you once. You vomit in my car, you clean it up." Sakura switched the car engine on. "This new baby goes amazingly fast. And no questions till I get to the house." She glared at Sasuke, who opened his mouth, obviously to ask something.

She violently backed up, and sped down the street.

**..:****花****:..**

Gaara snarled ferally when his sister left, as he ripped into the female's body.

He reached through, and tore out her bloody spine with his bare hands.

She screamed, and fell limp.

He hopped off of her, and turned to the male.

Gaara was hit with a blow to the stomach, making him fly a couple feet into a wall.

Gaara spat out a wad of blood. "Is that the best you can do? And you call yourself a vampire?" He hissed, preparing to spring from the wall.

The enraged male, blinded by the insult, swung out randomly, catching Gaara in the cheek.

He retaliated with a punch to the other male's nose, breaking it.

Gaining the upper hand, the red-haired boy roundhouse-kicked the violet-eyed man in the face, making him fall on top of a bed of glass.

Gaara stepped on him, rubbing his body into the broken glass. He jumped, and smashed in his back, crushing the internal organs, puncturing his lungs.

Gaara hopped off. He went over the female and crushed all the bones in her hands and feet to dust.

Just for kicks and reassurance that she was really dead, he crushed her skull and the rest of the bones in her body to powder. He went to wash his hands, but not before squishing the tailbone of the other male.

He snatched a pile of clothes from Satoshi's bureau, and stuffed it into his school bag. He carried it out.

He finally made his way outside. He sighed. Sakura was already long gone. She only left tire marks and a dead body in her wake.

He visually examined the body. Sakura did do a good job on messing up the body.

Gaara stepped outside the gates of the Uchiha mansion, and took off in a run towards his house.

He hoped he could catch a ride on their new Maserati; he wanted to drive it for a while.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura was stopping at a red light when somebody tapped on the door. Sakura jumped. She squinted to see who it was.

She silently slid out, and Gaara soundlessly slid in. Sakura jumped into the passenger.

They made it at their grand, ten-garage-door mansion. Gaara and Sakura got out, and helped Ino and Sasuke out.

"Wow." Ino breathed. "Your house is breathtaking."

As it was. Pleasantly in a richly dark Florentine yellow, edged in classic black, the mansion was luxurious as it looked comfortable. The only awkward thing was the extensive car garage.

"Thank you. One of my brothers designed it." Gaara smiled slightly at Ino as he let go of her.

Kari had stopped crying when they reached the house. She hopped happily out.

Satoshi slid out after her, still clad in blue pajamas. He looked much less sick, to everyone's relief, but he was still violently coughing away.

Sasuke shuffled a little. "So, do we get to go in? Otherwise, Satoshi might get even sicker."

"Of course! I apologize for not letting everybody in. Welcome to the Subaku mansion." Sakura warbled, walking up the walkway and opening the door.

Everybody wandered through the threshold of the double doors. Gaara spoke quietly to Kari.

"Kari-chan, go upstairs, and bring Satoshi with you. Take him into one of the bedrooms. Take this with you." He handed her the backpack full of clothes.

She nodded, and ran halfway up the marble staircase before calling down.

"Hey Satoshi! Are you coming or not?"

The little boy stopped looking around, eyes wide, and blushed. "Yeah. Wait!" And he ran up to follow her.

Otherwise, the teenagers were silent as Gaara and Sakura led the way into the living room.

Not heavily decorated, but filled with couches and pouffes, a velvet chaise lounge, a few small tables was the living room. The walls were a deep maroon, and the large window was framed with pristine white and gold eyelet curtains.

Sakura flopped onto the chaise lounge, with Gaara sitting by her head. Ino sat on a couch, while Sasuke sat warily at the other end.

"What the hell just happened?" Sasuke demanded.

"A few of Madame's idiot thugs." Sakura answered casually.

"They had come to kidnap Kari." Gaara finished for her. "It's a long story. We didn't expect them to find us so quickly. I'm sorry they broke Satoshi's bedroom window." He apologized to Sasuke.

"W-Why do you h-have f-fangs?" Ino whispered shakily. She almost didn't want to hear the answer.

Sasuke looked at her._ Sakura and Subaku have fangs??_ He didn't notice that!

"Because…" The pink-haired female sighed. "_Strigoi, vrykolakas, __mandurugo_, bloodsuckers, _upyr, _corpses, whatever. Call us what you like. We're vampires."

**..:****花****:..**

Kari raced up the stairs, not bothering to see if Satoshi was catching up. She was really happy to be home, away from the bad people, and back with Gaara-niisan and Sakura-neechan and her dolls that Sasori-niisan and Kankuro-baka made just for her.

She stopped when she reached the hallway where all the bedrooms were. She finally turned to see if Satoshi caught up yet. He was slow!

She jumped when she turned and saw him, panting heavily mixed with coughing. He was only standing centimeters away.

"Okay, Satoshi, follow me to your bedroom." She turned away from him, brassy-red curls flying, and began to walk slowly down the hallway.

Satoshi didn't follow her just yet. He was still tired. "Wait!" He called out. "Kari!"

She stopped, and looked at him. "What?"

"Can I please rest for a second? You were going too fast!" He pleaded.

"Oh, okay then." She walked back towards him, and sat on the floor next to him.

They sat in a pleasant silence, only listening to Satoshi's coughing.

"Okay. I'm ready." He straightened up, and offered his hand to Kari.

She allowed herself to be pulled up. "Thank you." She said. She smiled prettily at him.

He blushed again, and returned the smile with one of his own.

Kari was really pretty, Satoshi decided. She was sort of nice too. She didn't act like those scary girls at school who always asked him if he needed anything, tried to kiss or hug him, or all asked him if he was okay and was always giggling when he ran past them. Those girls were weird and scary, and had cooties.

He decided that Kari didn't have cooties. She did cry though. He didn't like it when girls cried.

"Come on!" She clenched his hand, and yanked him through the hallway, skidding to a stop at a blue door.

"This will be your room." She opened the door, and pulled him through.

It was a plain room. The color scheme was dark blues. A twin-sized bed lay in the corner, draped in an oceanic blue comforter and sky-blue pillows. Even the wood was blue.

"Do you like it?" Kari asked, looking up at him. He was half a head taller than she was.

"Yeah."

"My room is across from yours." She suddenly then realized she was still holding his hand, and promptly dropped it.

He was a boy, and boys had cooties and were icky. At least, that was what Sasori-niisan and Gaara-niisan and Kankuro-baka always said. They were ok, they were older. The cooties die when boys get older.

"Your bathroom is that way." She pointed at a pale blue door on the right. She turned around.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"I'm going to my room." She skipped out the door, her dress flouncing.

She turned around. "By the way, since you're sick, go to bed."

She went through the ruby-red door across from his, and was about to shut it when Satoshi called out to her again.

"Could I see your room?" He asked sweetly.

She looked cutely surprised. "No. Boys like you have cooties." And she shut the door softly.

**..:****花****:..**

Her newest doll, Jacqueline, sat on the toilet seat. Sasori had given it to her before she went to Sakura and Gaara. She was really pretty, with dark chestnut-brown hair and gold-green eyes. Kankuro made her five dresses in Kari's favorite colors, like he always did.

Kari washed her hands in really hot water with the yummy watermelon-smelling soap Gaara had gotten for her.

She didn't want to catch Satoshi's cold. Or his cooties. Ick.

**..:****花****:..**

Satoshi frowned. Okay…wait. She thought he had cooties? He didn't have cooties though! Naruto-niisan said so!

**..:****花****:..**

_Nothing to say at all but review, people._

_I LIKE DESCRIPTIVE REVIEWS CONCERNING WHAT YOU LIKED._

_Love,_

_pureazure_


	11. Airplanes to Russia

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Eleven

-

Airplanes to Russia

**..:****花****:..**

Sasuke was shocked. He stared in complete disbelief at the twins, raking their bodies for any, any trace of being a vampire.

He found nothing. Nothing at all.

The only evidence he found were the fangs.

Nothing was abnormal but the pearl-white fangs.

Ino reached out, and tentatively ran a slim finger down Sakura's exposed arm. She was actually somewhat warm, to say, but with a lingering sheet of hidden ice underneath the warm exterior.

Sakura looked at her. Her vibrant eyes were empty and dull. "We're warm because when we drink the blood of another, we don't digest the blood. Instead, we have the person's blood flowing through our veins. Our hearts aren't exactly working, to say, but we don't have our own blood anymore."

"We use human blood as our own." Gaara said lowly. He didn't look at anyone, rather looking out the window. "Otherwise we'd be dead, having no blood flowing to our heads."

"Do you want anything to drink?" Sakura said suddenly. "We have everything. We have a little food, since Kari eats."

"No thanks." Sasuke shook his head, eyes wide. Ino shook her head too.

"We're not safe here." Sakura muttered.

"Why are they after Kari?" Sasuke asked somewhat curiously.

"Because the child is beautiful. You see, Madame, as you heard, wants the child." Gaara hissed. The mere mention of the vile woman roused him to no limit of anger at all. "Kari is as pure as they come. She's untainted, she's not a vampire."

"She wants Kari as the mate to her disgusting son, Hidan. That boy is as violent as a war. He dreams of killing, kills regularly and worships some psycho sacrifice-loving god. Not to mention he has a dirty mouth." Sakura sniffed.

"So our family swore to protect the child." Gaara finished.

"Who are her parents?" Ino asked.

"She has no parents of any recognition. A waif on the streets of France. An orphan." Sakura answered.

"Gaara-niisan!" The little bronze-haired child ran into the room, and hopped comfortably into Gaara's lap.

"Kari." He stroked her hair gently.

"Are we going back to France, Gaara-nii? I want to go home." She wrinkled her nose.

"Why did Sasori send you here in the first place, Kari?" He looked at her, and innocent red eyes stared back at him.

Ino was engrossed in watching Gaara interact so sweetly to the child.

Sasuke interrupted. "I want to see Satoshi." He demanded.

"Sure. Follow me, Sasuke." Sakura carelessly hopped over the chaise she was sitting on, and started walking through the threshold of the door leading to the foyer. Sasuke got up, and followed her.

Kari started talking animatedly. "I was at school, we were learning about spiders, which was really yucky, and then Sasori-nii comes in really loudly, throwing the door open so hard that it almost hit him. He said sorry to Madame Truant, and picked me up, and walked out the door."

She stopped, and frowned before resuming talking again. "He didn't let me say goodbye to Isabelle and Thalia! But I didn't get mad at him, cause you told me to never get mad at Sasori-nii. So, later I kicked Kankuro-baka because he teased me. Anyways, he took me home and then he and Kankuro-nii put me in their Lamborghini and drive away."

"I got tired, so I fell asleep. Then, when I wake up, Kankuro-nii is carrying me, and we are at the airport. He puts me down, and gives me my passports and stuff. Sasori-nii goes to the desk thingy, and he talks for a bit, and they walk me to the sitting places. Kankuro-nii smiles at me and Sasori-nii kisses my forehead, and told me to wait for the stewardess after the trip who will take me away to here."

"Then I hug him, and then he gives me Jacqueline and Sasori-nii and Kankuro-nii leave. I get on the plane, and land here. The stewardess who is always on the plane when I'm on it takes me away to her car, and drives me here. And then I sat on the steps till you and Sakura-nee came."

She blinked her almond-shaped eyes. "That's it, Gaara-nii." She licked her lips. "I'm hungry now."

She hopped off of Gaara, and skipped towards the kitchen.

The red-haired boy sat, lost in thought until Ino had settled beside him and touched his arm.

He looked down on her, startled.

"Um, sorry." Ino dropped her gaze down to her hands in her lap. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"Aren't you afraid at all?" He bit back.

"No." She smiled at him sweetly. It hurt him to see that. "Not really at all."

He sighed deeply. "Kari, careful. You're going to fall. Get off the wobbly stool." He called out.

"I hope you're sure of that, Yamanaka Ino." He said quietly. "You're going to have to be staying with us for a long time."

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura was at the top of the stairs before Sasuke even took a step. She leaned lazily on the carved oak railing as Sasuke slowly trudged up all seventy-two steps.

When he finally managed to reach the top, he was gasping just a little.

"Finally you're up here. Anyways, I have to stop at my room before Satoshi's and I need to get you and Ino bedrooms." Sakura muttered. She started down the hallway on the right.

Sasuke followed her silently, watching her long pink hair sway along with the movement of her hips.

She tossed an ebony wood door open, stepped in and began to search, digging into her drawers. Sasuke just stood silently in the doorway watching Sakura search.

"Ah, found it." She brandished a cell phone. She dialed a number, and waited.

"Hello, Fugaku. I am so sorry to call you at this hour. Is it all right if I take Sasuke and Satoshi away?"

Sasuke leaped over to her. "Give me the phone." He hissed lowly. "I want to talk to my father!"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, I have to. They'll be safe, I promise. Because Madame has stricken again, because Kari is here. By the way, I recommend on calling some contractors tomorrow. There's probably blood everywhere, three bodies, and a shattered window."

She glared at Sasuke, as he just tried to swipe the phone from her. She poked his forehead. "I'm so sorry, Fugaku, for this inconvenience. Best of luck to us if we're going to destroy her this time. Goodbye!"

She snapped the phone closed just when he lunged at her. She grinned, and let him shove her onto her huge bed. She reversed the positions, and she was lying lightly on top of him now, pinning him effectively to her bed.

"Nice try, Sasuke." She drawled. Her lips were only millimeters away from hot skin, sending tiny shocks down to his pale neck. "It's going to take a little more skill to catch me."

She released him, and tossed the phone in the general direction of her black vanity. She archly yawned, settling down next to the ebony-haired boy's body.

She leapt off of the silky pale red sheets, jostling and bouncing the Uchiha out of her bed and onto the rosewood floor.

The pink-haired girl landed gently next to the door. "I'll leave you there, if you want. I'm going to see Satoshi. He's in the blue door room. Take care not to smell my sheets." And she walked out.

Sasuke, being the ignorant fool he is, buried his face into her sheets and slowly breathed in.

There was an interesting mix of fragrance that burned his aristocrat nose ever so pleasantly.

The scent of day lilies, the bitter note of absinth, and the sweetly sickening perfume smell of Cajun Sunrise roses invaded his senses.

He didn't miss, however, that lingering, tangy aroma of woman that permeated the sheets.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura opened the door gently. "Satoshi-chan?"

"Nanny!" A blob in the pale blue sheets rose up to reveal the little Uchiha, his hair all messy, blinking sleepily.

Sakura sat on the edge of his bed. "Feeling better, sweetie?"

"Much better, Nanny." He coughed, but it wasn't as violent as this morning. "My throat still feels sticky and heavy, though. My head doesn't hurt anymore."

"Good." She gently stroked his head. "Sasuke will probably be coming in soon."

"Okay." Satoshi nodded.

Sasuke chose that moment to stumble into the room, looking a little dazed and drunk, that went unnoticed by his nephew.

"Sasuke-niisan! You found my room!" The little boy cried happily.

"Oh, hey, Satoshi." Sasuke sat next to Satoshi on top of his pillow. "Feeling better?"

"Yes." He smiled happily.

The abused door threw open again, revealing Gaara, Ino and Kari, the latter being carried by Gaara.

"I need to speak to you, sister. Kari, you stay here with Ino, alright?" He spoke in a detached tone, his eyes never leaving Sakura's face.

He and Sakura left the room silently, and glided into Gaara's bedroom.

They didn't notice a certain Uchiha excuse himself from the room.

The female tossed herself onto the comfortable black and brown checkered sheets. "Ah, it's been a while since I got to lie on your bed, brother." Sakura trilled.

"One of my beds." He corrected. He lay down his head on her stomach. "I never let you on my beds."

"You never tell me where you get them. It's not fair. What's the problem, Gaara?" She weaved her quick fingers into his hair, a digit tracing his tattoo.

"Fugaku called me three minutes after you called him. His eldest son is dead, along with his wife. They died in a fatal plane crash just outside of Russia. No survivors."

He felt her fingers freeze. "What?"

"Mikoto and Fugaku are grieving. And I think it's somehow connected to us, sister. There's no pilot, and the search is missing a stewardess. Nobody was able to even get off the plane until the paramedics removed their bodies. No one survived, to human knowledge."

"But you're guessing a pair of vampires did this." Sakura began to re-weave her fingers again through the short red hair.

"No pilot, no stewardess. I think it's a warning." Gaara frowned, and turned his head to look at his sister.

"That's a horrible warning." Sakura mused. "So, do we tell them?"

"No, Sasuke is just outside the door, listening in. Sasuke, come in." Gaara turned his head a fraction as the door creaked open, revealing a very white Sasuke.

He fell to his knees. "My brother is dead." He whispered emotionlessly. "My older brother and his wife are dead."

He looked up at the twins, dry-eyed but with a terrible expression on his face. "He's dead, how the hell do I tell Satoshi this?"

The twins sat up, despite the comfortably sexual lover position they were just in.

"You don't, until he asks." Gaara whispered hoarsely. "Alright?"

The Uchiha only raised his head. He got up, and left the room.

Gaara stood up first, pulled Sakura up, and followed him out back into Satoshi's room.

Satoshi was oblivious to Sasuke when he came back in, as he was busily trying hard to sneak peeks at Kari, who was braiding one of her dolls' hair.

Behind him, as he was facing the window, was Sasuke resting heavily on Ino in a semi-comforting embrace.

Baby blue eyes widened and blinked in shock as the female mind behind the eyes processed the information. Ino released Sasuke, who went to lean on the bed, eyes closed.

"Are you completely sure Itachi's dead?" She asked Sakura. The pink-haired girl nodded.

Ino glanced back at the dark-haired boy. "He's really torn by this, and he's already thinking about revenge on the…vampires that sent his brother to his death."

"We might as well grant his wish, shouldn't we, brother? Because we are looking for a little destroying the bad side, a little revenge ourselves, aren't we?" Sakura playfully questioned her brother somewhat loudly.

Dead onyx eyes turned to fixate upon the green-eyed girl in slight hope.

Gaara sighed, and flicked open his cell phone and dialed a number. "Deidara. Are you still in Russia?"

**..:****花****:..**

_Look! There's even a little SasuSaku for you people who've been asking for it. I promise, more to come._

_And GaaIno haters, if you hate it, I don't care. I'm not fucking changing it for__ you.__ It's the way I'm having this story. Don't complain to me. Don't like it, don't read it._

_Review?_

_Love, _

_pureazure_


	12. Bath Products Equals Bites

_I am so fucking happy. It's Christmas!  
_

_And K is alive, and shut up, I'm happy. I thought she was dead or something. Seriously, K, I THOUGHT YOU DIED!_

_Anyways, so apparently there's a process in trying to get in to Russia, according to someone anonymous. It apparently involves lots of waiting to get a visa._

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Twelve

-

Bath Products Equals Bites

**..:****花****:..**

Gaara stepped out of the room, talking quietly as possible.

Kari was smiling. "Are we going to get to visit Deidara in Russia, Sakura?"

"Maybe. We'll see. Gaara's talking to him." Sakura sat on the bed beside the little girl, combing the brassy curls lazily as she listened in on the phone conversation.

"Um, how are we getting to Russia?" Ino asked somewhat timidly.

Sakura rolled her eyes. Silly human. "How else? By plane, of course."

"But you need a visa, and that takes months to get it from the government." Sasuke stated. "My father had to get one once for business, and it took nearly a year to arrive."

Sakura was about to respond, when Gaara walked back in. "Deidara said yes. And he's still in Russia." He said directly to Sakura.

"Good. Call Pein or Konan and tell them to arrange us a plane."

"No need. Kisame is coming." Gaara leaned against the door frame. "And at the speed he's apparently going, he's going to be here in about an hour."

"Enough time to pack and get cleaned up." Sakura sang out cheerily. She stood up, and snatched Ino's wrist to drag her into her bedroom, when Ino asked again.

"Sasuke has a point. It does take months to get a visa."

Sakura grinned foxily at her and dragged her out. "Who said we're going into the country legally?"

**..:****花****:..**

The strawberry-haired vampire dragged the blonde into her room. "I'm apologizing in advance. I'm going to doll you up." She chirped. "First stop, you're going to take a bath and wash your hair. Strip, Ino!"

Five minutes later, the bewildered Yamanka was sitting comfortably in a bathtub the size of a car with very warm water filled with translucent bubbles that smelled of something distinctively like lilacs that she picked out of an extensive table of just bubble bath soaps.

It was weird, being pampered by a lethal person, _and_ the said person having her favorite-but-very-expensive bubble bath soap.

Sakura chattered on. "So sorry again, but it's really fun on my part. It's been a long time since I could completely gussy up someone. Here, pick a shampoo and conditioner from here."

Ino was overwhelmed. "Why are you doing this?" She sniffed a bottle closest to her. Hmm, it smelled like lime and a faint hint of lavender.

On the right track. "Um, and, do you have something that's a combination of lavender and orange blossom?"

Sakura took in a deep breath, her nose twitching slightly. She looked so at home in the oceanic green bathroom with its black and white décor and scattered hair and body products.

"No, but I have a lavender shampoo and an orange conditioner. Care for those?" Sakura rooted around for the said products, and coming up with two bottles: both were fancy with purple, orange, and shiny red and silver stripes. "Here."

She thanked the rose-haired girl, and began to vigorously work the purplish goop into her long hair.

"Why are you doing this?" She repeated.

Sakura turned away, and stared at the pair's reflections in the wall-sized mirror.

Reflected back was the perfect, timeless heart-shaped face framed with rose colored hair.

A face that would never age.

The other face was an oval, showcasing healthy, warm-toned skin, with a mess of hair the color of bleached straw.

"I want to. Like I said, it's fun for me."

Emerald eyes shimmered with the hint of tears.

Ino was taken aback at the teary face.

"Sorry." Sakura blinked. "It's just that, you probably won't see your parents again. I feel bad about that."

The blonde-haired girl stopped. "Wh-what do you mean, I won't see my parents ever again?"

Sakura stared sadly at her. "You know our secret. It's unlikely that you will ever see your parents again. We don't let people who know our secret escape. It's a rule. So, pampering you is sort of reparation for me." She blinked wetly again.

"Sakura, it's okay. Really." Ino tried. "My parents…they were planning on having me move out. So they could have this little love-nest thing for themselves."

That seemed to cheer Sakura a little. "My parents are like that."

Ino began to work her hair again.

"And, I think my brother has an eye for you." Sakura muttered under her breath.

"What did you say, Sakura? I couldn't hear you." Ino looked at her curiously. She honestly didn't hear Sakura's muttering clearly.

"Nothing. Just deciding on what to tackle next: makeup, or clothes?"

**..:****花****:..**

Sasuke was coming out of the bathroom in Gaara's room, a fluffy beige towel around his hips.

Gaara was standing critically in front of his closet. "You need clothes, and you're actually about my size."

The redhead shoved a pair of black boxers into his hands. "Put that on. It's new, and clean."

Confused, the Uchiha put them on.

In a very manly way, Gaara tossed him a pair of dark blue khakis and a short-sleeve light blue polo shirt. "Wear those."

Obediently, the orders were performed.

The redhead eyed him carefully. "Good enough. Now wear this." He chucked a metal-gray hoodie at the black-haired boy.

Gaara was satisfied with the ensemble he came up with, and how it looked on Sasuke. "What soaps did you use?"

"The ones that had the labels reading cinnamon and musk and sandalwood."

The jade-eyed boy shot him a piercing look. "_That's my stuff._ Go back and take a shower instead of a bath and use the soaps that I give to you."

Sasuke, clearly somewhat shaken by the somewhat menacing tone in the usually stoic voice, stumbled back into the bathroom.

Gaara frowned, and tried to think of a rather alluring smell that didn't resemble his that he had and Sasuke could use. Mint, maybe?

There was no way that the Uchiha was allowed to use his soaps.

**..:****花****:..**

Half an hour later, everyone appeared and looked reasonably well-groomed. Gaara and Sakura had put on clean clothes, and had Kari and Satoshi change too.

Ino sat on the couchette in front of Sakura, munching on some cookies. She was wearing a plain white tank top with a thin purple cardigan around her shoulders, and a matching violet skirt with white leggings and grape-colored flats.

Sakura was playing with the irrepressibly long blonde hair in front of her, twisting and turning and fiddling with it. Wearing a simple fire engine-red dress that ended in the middle of her thighs, and black jeans, she looked fashionably delicious as ever. Peep-toe heels in white and a tiny gold chain necklace adorned her.

Kari had put on a fresh dark sea blue dress that had ruche everywhere, and was modestly decorated in sun-yellow lace, and it matched and showed her hair off rather nicely. She was staring anxiously out the window, squirming in anxiety.

"When is Fishy-chan coming?" She pouted.

Satoshi watched her ever so intently. He tugged on his collar of the gray-blue button up shirt he was wearing. Black cargo pants were crumpled and creased as he moved to sit better as not to sink into the squishy brocade sofa.

Gaara checked the clock. Kisame should be here any minute now. He was due in about twenty seconds. He yanked off the stupid blazer Sakura made him wear over a maroon button-up shirt and black khakis.

Finally, a loud rush of wind rattled through the window, as a large, dirty white sheet of metal obscured their view of outside.

"Come on, everyone." Sakura led everyone out.

As the propellers stopped throwing the winds everywhere, a staircase from the jet literally fell out and a rather blue-skinned man tumbled likewise out, wearing nothing but cutoff khakis and a t-shirt.

He grinned toothily at everyone. "Hello, Gaara, Sakura…Kari!"

"Fishy-chan!" Kari cried, and launched herself into the awaiting man's arms.

"Doll-kun." He set her down. "So, Gaara, care enough to co-pilot the plane here?"

"Sure. I'm going in there now." He took a running leap and cleared the staircase to the interior.

"Ino, Sasuke, this is Kisame. He is our pilot for the jet. Kisame, this is Ino and Sasuke. And no, they are not food." Sakura glared at him.

"I ate before I came." He said offhandedly. "So, Konan tells me they know?"

"That they do."

"Well, lovely to meet you, Ino, Sasuke. I'm a vampire." He bowed, and turned back to the plane, and gestured. "Go ahead; go on aboard the Akatsuki private jet."

They did, Satoshi trailing behind them.

Kisame turned to Sakura.

"Just to reassure you, I didn't do it. Zetsu's in Russia too, and he identified the remains for the Uchihas. You can't trust Deidara on identifying, that idiot."

"Thanks, Kisame. Much appreciated."

And they boarded the plane.

**..:****花****:..**

Kari ran dizzily around the plane, laughing and smiling excitedly. "I like the Akatsuki jet better than the ones at the terminals. They smell like barf."

"Of course you do. Akatsuki jets are specially made, and people don't barf in here. Take Satoshi to your sleeping compartment, will you? I bet you're tired, Kari-chan." Sakura said.

"C'mon, Satoshi!" And she skipped into a closed off section of the jet, the little boy scurrying after her.

In the interior, everything was in red or black, and the size was generously roomy. There was more than enough ample room for movement; you could do full-bodied yoga in the center. Lining the compartment was bed-like couches in bright red with silver throw pillows. The walls were black. There were two doors in the back: One was clearly labeled 'Bathroom' in block script and printed in ten other languages, and the other was unmarked.

Kari had disappeared into the unmarked one. It was her compartment, because the Akatsuki liked to spoil her. She remained sweet about it, as she never asked for anything.

Sakura settled herself familiarly on the cushions. She gestured for Ino and Sasuke, who were standing frozen in the compartment doorway.

"Don't be so surprised. Vampires do like to travel in comfort, you know. At least my family does."

They placed themselves stiffly on the edge of a bed.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Don't worry about ruining it."

Finally, Ino relaxed and lay on the bed. In a few seconds, she fell asleep.

Sasuke was reclining on another bed, his head propped up by a pillow.

"She sleeps like a rock. Don't bother her." Sasuke murmured. He ran his fingers through his hair.

The engine started up loudly, and the jet started to move.

"It's going to be about two hours flight, judging on how ridiculously fast this toy goes, and by who's flying it." Sakura picked at her nails.

"Okay."

He watched her, examining her.

Sasuke honestly didn't feel anything different for her since she confessed her vampire secret.

If he did, he definitely felt a stronger pull to her, wanting her more since she seemed even more unattainable.

Sakura was getting bored. Gaara and Kisame were flying the plane, Ino was sleeping, she didn't want to bother Kari or Satoshi, and so she pulled out a deck of cards from under the pillow.

She offered it to Sasuke. "Want to play blackjack with me?"

**..:****花****:..**

Five games later, Sasuke was actually beating Sakura.

She was getting frustrated. How the hell did he keep turning up with twenties and twenty-ones?

She kept getting over twenty-one!

This never happened before!

Sasuke was amazed at his rather incredible luck. He wasn't really paying too much attention to the cards.

Rather, he was watching the heart-shaped face in front of him contort and twist into expressions of disbelief and frustration.

Sakura finally tossed her cards down in disgust. "Why is my luck so terrible today? Why?" She grimaced.

Sasuke didn't answer. He just tossed down his cards as well, and drew up his legs onto the bed the pair were sitting on.

She gathered up the cards, and tucked them away disdainfully. She couldn't understand. Why did she lose so badly? She was usually an excellent blackjack player!

She held a frown on her face; Sasuke had the urge to kiss the pouting frown off her forlorn face.

Before he could make a move, however, Sakura spoke.

"So, any questions you have, Sasuke? About vampires? Gaara? About me? Kari?"

He thought for a second. "How…how…do you…" He gestured towards his neck.

She understood, and giggled. "Like this!"

She gently seized his raven-haired head, and lay it down on her lap.

He could smell her womanliness through her jeans and thin tissue cotton dress. It made him rather alert and aroused at the same time.

Sakura didn't notice. All she noticed was the wafting smell of patchouli emanating from Sasuke's white skin. He smelt _absolutely delicious._

She bent down, and swiftly sank her elongated teeth into his pale white neck, her pink hair falling into his face.

It felt strange. The piercing itself didn't hurt him, but it sent pulses of soft pain to his foggy brain.

He could feel her semi-cold lips press into his exposed nape, and lap ever so gently at his blood.

But then, the pressure disappeared, and Sakura was looking down at him, grinning.

She bent her head again, and gave his profusely bleeding skin a perfunctory lick.

He looked up at her in confusion. "Why did you bite me?"

"You asked, you received. Don't worry; I didn't take very much, probably only a few drops." She licked her lips slowly.

He had tasted rather good, almost bitterly sour, a taste she certainly liked.

She licked his bleeding skin again, somewhat lingeringly, and this time it sent vibrating sensual shivers down his spine.

A loud voice broke through the heavy, almost libidinous silence, causing Sasuke to spring away from Sakura in surprise.

Sakura only smirked slyly at Sasuke, a laugh tugging at her red lips. She sucked lightly on her bottom lip, as she tasted another hint of Sasuke's delicious red liquid that she had missed.

"Attention, we're arriving at Deidara's estate in about, let's say, one minute." Kisame's voice was heard through the speaker that was tucked away in the ceiling.

Sakura stood up and walked towards Kari's compartment and gently opened the door.

She peeked inside, and smiled softly.

Kari and Satoshi were sleeping quite peacefully in the room, which was basically a bed with millions of cushions and blankets and whatnot.

Satoshi was simply lying next to Kari, who was stretched out on her stomach, her arms folded to cushion her head.

She reached over to Kari, and shook her gently. "Kari-chan, we're landing in Russia now."

Kari sprang up, knocking into Satoshi's arm, waking him up. "Really?"

Satoshi groggily sat up, rubbing his onyx eyes in tiredness. "Wha-what?"

"Satoshi, we're landing in Russia now." Sasuke said hoarsely from behind Sakura.

There was suddenly a soft bump, and the aircraft shuddered to a stop.

**..:****花****:..**

Kari practically leapt out, and nearly tumbled to the ground, if she wasn't caught by a speedy Kisame.

"Doll-kun, be careful. Sheesh." He set her down, and everyone went out.

Gaara jumped out, not trusting the stairs, and landing perfectly on his feet in the traces of snow on the grass.

Sakura followed suit, leaping out and landing carefully.

Kisame and the others used the stairs.

Ino and Sasuke were blinking in the shining light reflecting off of the snow around them.

_It was freezing._

_It was icy._

_There was snow everywhere._

"Kisame!" A man shrieked.

Into view, came a tall blond with his long hair tied back in a ponytail, and glittering blue eyes. He was wearing a cashmere turtleneck sweater and slacks.

"Shut up, Deidara, you fool. You're being loud." Kisame grunted.

"Dearest Sakura and Gaara! And Kari!" The man shrieked again.

Kisame threw a punch at the male's head; he smoothly dodged it and scooped up Kari, clearly delighted.

"Deidara!" Kari sang happily.

"Um, ex-excuse m-me sir, b-but d-d-do you ha-have anything w-warm to w-wear?" Ino chattered.

Kisame nodded, and disappeared. He reappeared with long, fur-lined coats, and handed them to Sasuke and Ino and draped one over Satoshi.

"I'm so sorry! I forgot to introduce myself!" The blond man smiled sheepishly. "I'm Deidara. And welcome to my beautiful Russia, my love nest and my home."

He said all this rather unevenly and rapid-fire fast.

He dramatically waved his arms around, and gestured for them to follow.

Gaara rolled his eyes.

It wasn't like he _hated_ Deidara; it was more like he was _greatly annoyed_ by Deidara.

The flamboyant man got on his nerves all the time.

That's why Gaara hated going to places where Deidara was.

They stepped into a rather warm home, complete with underlying hues of oranges, browns, and blacks. The foyer was grand, with a princess staircase, and made of cedar wood.

"And I forgot. And you are?" He asked Sasuke.

"Sasuke Uchiha. My friend Ino Yamanka, and my nephew Satoshi."

"Lovely!" The eccentric blond purred. "Kisame, be nice and take Satoshi and Kari-chan here up to Kari's rooms."

"What am I, your servant?" Kisame muttered. But he did pick up Satoshi and Kari and took them away upstairs.

**..:****花****:..**

Gaara took lead instead, and led them through the right side of the staircase, and into a giant living room, where there was nothing but a fireplace with a fire already roaring away, and brown cushions to sit or lie upon on top of Japanese tatami mats that lined the floor. There was also a tall bookcase standing on the far side of the room.

Ino and Sasuke sat down more comfortably this time, and Gaara and Sakura leaned against the wall together. Deidara took close to the fire.

"Zetsu,_ where are you_? I _need_ you to _explain_!" Deidara whined quite loudly.

"Shut up, Deidara. I don't know how I put up with you."

Zetsu slipped out from behind the bookcase, scaring Ino rather badly.

Sasuke couldn't stop staring at Zetsu, because why was he…..split in half in color?

One side was black, the other white.

Liquid amber eyes caught the Uchiha staring.

"It's a tattoo." Zetsu murmured dismissively. His voice was quiet, slow and steady.

He blinked, and sank to the floor. "Sakura. Gaara."

They greeted him back solemnly.

He wetted his lips. "And no, I'm not hungry, Miss Yamanka."

He had caught the pensive look on her face as she saw him lick his lips.

"Well, I caught the filthy, dishonorable vermin who crashed the plane. I'm sorry for your loss of your brother and his wife, Sasuke Uchiha." He began smoothly. "I had identified the bodies for you, as there was only three days to do it. Their bodies are being held for you and your parents, whatever you would like to have done to them."

"But what would you like to hear in great detail first? The plane crash or the current location of Madame or the entire situation at hand right now?"

**..:****花****:..**

_Merry Christmas!_

_Review?  
_

_Love,_

_hypheniated_


	13. Climbing Through Windows with Raw Eggs

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Thirteen

-

Climbing Through Windows with Raw Eggs

**..:****花****:..**

"You never cease to amaze us, Zetsu. How did you find out the location of Madame?" Gaara drawled.

"Simple. The vermin told me, under the threat of slow death, and our dear friends confirmed it for me." Zetsu gave a thin smile.

"What exactly killed my brother?" Sasuke murmured. He had Ino's hand clutched in a blind grip.

"Air pressure collapsed his lungs, and his head colliding with the side of the plane didn't help either. He died of blood-force trauma, and respiratory failure." He paused, amber eyes traveling towards the ceiling. "His wife, on the other hand, apparently couldn't get her seatbelt in, so when the actual crash happened, she was thrown from her seat, and smashed head-first into the wall. Skull fractures, internal bleeding, death within minutes."

Sasuke fell back, raven bangs covering his face. He placed his face on Ino's shoulder, shaking. She could feel his silent tears soaking her cardigan.

Zetsu cleared his throat. "The entire situation at hand is fairly stable. According to the whelps who confessed, Hidan was hurt, or likely damaged in some way. So they took him away to rest. Something about a scythe nearly stabbing him." He snorted. "Stupid child."

Deidara clapped his hands. "Alright then, you all must be very tired. I'll take you to your rooms."

He waited until the now stony-faced Sasuke and Ino stood up, and escorted them out.

Zetsu turned towards the twins.

"Do be careful, you two. When you do go back to Versailles, contact your brothers." He said shrewdly. "Madame's puny army count has risen by five, not including the two I disposed of. And those humans you drag with you, one of you are going to have to protect them, no? Unless, of course, you have plans to change them." He waited for an answer.

He didn't receive one; as he could tell they hadn't even think of changing them yet.

"I'll be taking my leave, then. Give my apologies to Deidara, that fool. I'll be back sooner or later, I'm off to see Pein. Make sure the idiot feeds soon with one of you, can't risk him to starve and go on a crazy rampage." He practically melted away into the bookcase.

Silently, Gaara and Sakura left the room.

**..:****花****:..**

Deidara was gone, probably off to his suite, Gaara mused absentmindedly. He didn't hear his incessantly loud whiny voice, meaning that he was in one of his rooms.

He was troubled by Zetsu's parting words about the humans.

It was true; either they die of some carelessness on the twins' behalf, they grow old and become even more difficult to carry around, or they be changed.

He grimaced, and the pink-haired girl beside him unconsciously mimicked him. They were thinking of the same problem.

He could hear four steadily beating human hearts as he passed several doors with Sakura.

"I'm going to check on them."

"Alright. I'll be in my room, then." Sakura drifted gracefully away.

Sakura was so dramatic. This was one of those times where he quietly wished that he wasn't with her. He loved her as his twin sister, sure, but he wanted to be away from her, but. alas, it wasn't possible to right now.

He slipped into Satoshi's room, where the boy was sleeping, whispery snores emanating from him.

Good, he was sleeping.

He checked Kari's room next, and she was playing with her dolls.

She was safe.

He felt like a mother or something, checking up on his children.

He went to Sasuke's room next.

Sasuke was lying on his bed, playing with a pen he probably found. He looked bored.

"Yo." The red-haired boy slipped in. The Uchiha looked up at the intruder, tensed, but relaxed when he saw who it was.

"Yo." Sasuke watched him lazily as Gaara sat on the edge of his bed.

"So, when's our next stop?" Sasuke asked bitterly.

"Not for a while. Staying in Russia for the time being." Gaara said cautiously. He didn't want to arouse any suspicions or thoughts within Sasuke.

Sasuke stared out the window at the dissipating patches of snow. He held a troubled look on his face. "Alright."

Gaara left him quietly, not wanting to bother him, since he seemed exhausted by the turn of events.

He made his way to Ino's room, noting that his sister's bedroom was next to Sasuke's, and his next to hers and Ino's.

He peeked into the bedroom, where Ino was also sleeping.

Satisfied everyone was fine, he stumbled into his bedroom. His body ached for some restoration of power.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura was musing about what the amber-eyed man said.

Zetsu had a point.

She stripped, and changed into a comfortable large blue t-shirt that hung down to her knees.

She flopped into her cushy soft bed, preparing to relax when she heard the sound of breathing outside her door.

"Before you knock, come in!" She called.

Sasuke shuffled in, looking like an embarrassed schoolboy.

She looked up at him, and beckoned him towards her.

"Look, I won't bite. I'm practically full, anyways. I ate yesterday." She coaxed.

He finally sat on her bed.

"What do you want, Sasuke?" She purred.

"How old are you?" He fiddled with a loose thread on the coverlet.

"You know, it's not polite to ask a lady her age. But I'll tell you anyways. I'm eight hundred and eighty six exactly." She giggled as she watched his smooth face turn into an adorably shocked expression.

"You can't have made this trip to my room only to ask me that question." Sakura scoffed. She edged towards him, and gently grasped his chin to turn him to look at her. "Anything else, Sasuke?" She stared deeply into his inky onyx eyes, willing him to answer.

"No." But he suddenly pushed Sakura backwards, and himself falling on her.

He made sure their lips connected, and he kissed her rather chastely, only lip contact, nothing more, contrary to the position they were now in.

He lazily got off of her, and started towards the door. "Goodnight, Sakura." He quietly shut the door behind him.

"Mmm." Sakura licked her lips. His lips tasted almost better than his blood.

**..:****花****:..**

The next morning, Sakura, Gaara and Deidara left to feed, hours before Sasuke woke up.

He went to find the bathroom, and ran a shower.

When he climbed out, dripping wet all over the freezing floor tiles, he checked his reflection in the mirror, something he hasn't really done since the night before the last.

His skin looked better, he thought. There were lesser purplish pouches under his eyes, and his complexion seemed more normal.

He sauntered down the hallway, taking no notice of very lavish furnishings on the walls, or the soft threads of carpet under his feet.

He went to find his childhood best friend, who was staring out the lightly frosted window in her room.

"Ino." He sat on her bed uninvited.

"Sasuke." She turned to look at him, her eyelids still drooping from sleep.

"Do you think we'll ever see our parents again?" He asked.

It was a stupid question. Ino didn't care for her parents, and they didn't care for her. He knew that.

He was asking her opinion on himself.

"Maybe. How am I supposed to know?" She grinned. "You know I'm happier without my parents, and I like being away from home." She sighed.

"Tch. What about Satoshi?"

"He didn't need his parents, right? They left him, leaving money and a will in their wake."

"You're no help at all, Ino."

"Sheesh. I try, idiot. You never listen." She resumed staring out the window. "Look, your brother's dead, your parents are mourning. I think they know we're in safe hands. They have a life, no matter how decreased it is. World doesn't revolve around you. You don't know everything, Sasuke."

Her sharp words struck him, as they always did. He shut up, and stared at nothing.

**..:****花****:..**

Deidara wiped off his mouth. "I haven't fed with you guys for decades, yeah. You pick the most delicious prey, yeah."

"Messy, too." Gaara looked down at the five bodies, noting all the punctures they did. They were alive, just unconscious.

"Not that great to me. Russians have this taste I dislike." Sakura wrinkled her nose. "I like the flavor of Sasuke's blood better."

"You're only used to French blood, you spoiled little girl, yeah." Deidara scoffed.

Gaara whirled around to stare at her in disbelief. "You had Uchiha for a meal? What were you thinking?" He hissed.

"I sampled it; I didn't make a meal out of it. It's yummy." She began licking her puncture places on the bodies to heal them.

"Speaking of this Uchiha, yeah, he seems a bit attached to you, Sakura." Deidara waggled his eyebrows.

"Maybe so." She smirked. "Careful what you do, Deidara. You are quite much younger than I am, please don't lose control over my charges and bite them."

He bristled. He was twenty two in appearance, yet a seventeen-look-a-like was older and more superior than he was.

"I'll try not to, little Haruno." He spat noisily. "Let's go, yeah."

They raced home, silent to the rushing winds and the dandruff flakes of snow.

Gaara headed immediately to the almost-never-used library to look up the maps in there, while Deidara and Sakura went upstairs to see if the children and the two teens were up.

There they found Ino and Sasuke, not facing each other and looking listless, in Sasuke's case. Ino was smiling widely.

"Good morning! What would you like for breakfast, you two?" Sakura sang, bursting into Ino's room.

"Anything!" Ino smiled foxily. Sakura's enthusiasm was contagious. She jumped off of her bed, ignoring the boy on it, and went next to Sakura. "What do you have?"

"Um, I have no idea!" The pink-haired girl smiled sheepishly. "You better look in the fridge, which is down this hall, through the glass doors of the kitchen and beside the microwave. Pick out some stuff, and I'll cook it for you." She jerked her head. "I'll deal with him."

Finally, Ino left, having to go figure out Sakura's simple yet complex instructions.

Sasuke frowned at her. Sakura raised a single eyebrow.

"What?" They said at the same time.

Sakura smiled. "Come on, Sasuke." She coaxed.

Without a word, he sauntered out the door grumpily.

Sakura shrugged. She was about to leave when she heard the distinct creak of the window being opened, and the rush of icy cold flow into the warm room.

"Hey, ugly, how come you're in my father's house?" A male voice remarked snidely.

She stiffened. "Bastard!" She whipped around, and there he was, lying very comfortably on the still-warm sheets, a very fake smile adorning his god-like face.

"Miss me, Sakura?" he drawled.

"Fuck no, Sai. Where did you come from?" she bit back.

"Direct export from Rome. Missed my art classes, which wasn't a great idea." He yawned. "I had nude models for sculpting today. Ran here, took me five hours anyways. Uncle sent me here to come home to Father. Saying something about an ugly forehead girl and her depressing twin brother to check up on."

She clenched her jaw. Surely Gaara was listening or something! Or Deidara would have come running the second he knew his son was home!

"Fucking bastard." She seethed.

"You know you love me. Who's that human that was in here?" He asked emotionlessly.

"None of your fucking business. Go tell Deidara you're here, he'll be thrilled." She said, deadpanned.

"Maybe." He stood up with almost as much grace as Sakura, and went to the door. "That Uchiha kid might be fun to play with. I'm going to find Father." With a flick of his black hair, he departed the room.

She stomped out of the room, tiny vibrations marking her every step.

**..:****花****:..**

A very, very loud scream of delight was heard.

"SAI! MY PRECIOUS SON, YOU'RE BACK!"

Gaara slapped his forehead, groaning. "WILL YOU SHUT UP!" He roared back.

He decided to stop his researching; he was not going to get any done while Deidara is around Sai.

He jumped the entire useless staircase, and went into the kitchen, where he could smell uncooked eggs.

Ino was there, dreamily staring outside, and Sasuke by her side, glaring at everything in sight. Sakura was busying herself, cooking something.

He held back a snort. Sakura must have run into Sai, her shoulders were tense and she was gripping things with too much force.

He crept up to her, and delicately reached for an egg.

She flinched, and muttered incoherently.

"Who's Sai?" Ino inquired.

Gaara smoothly replied, cutting Sakura's snappy answer short. "Deidara's adopted son."

"Ah." She resumed looking dreamy.

He tore his gaze away from her; she was looking so perfect, with her tousled hair, and carefully launched the egg in the direction of the doorway.

Sai caught it, striding through the door. "Merci, Gaara." He rapped the raw egg against his diamond-hard fang, and let the slimy clear albumin leak through, the insistent yolk refusing to leak out.

Gaara snatched another egg, and like Sai, rapped it against his teeth, but allowing the shells to separate, and pouring the slimy substance down his throat instead.

Sasuke looked thoroughly disgusted. "Isn't that nasty? And who the hell are you?"

"Deidara's son." He cocked his head. "You're that Uchiha boy." He mocked.

Without another look at Sasuke, Sai sidled up to Sakura. "Dearest sweet Sakura, would you like a taste?"

Sakura contemplated. Having a delicious snack served by a bastard, or resume boringly stirring and shifting the omelet.

"Alright." She tilted her head back, catching a glimpse of Sasuke. She invitingly opened her mouth.

Sasuke couldn't help but watch her, her graceful swan neck bend evenly back, tendrils of hair fall backwards, and open her mouth greedily to receive the disgusting raw egg like a hungry baby bird.

Sai's artist hands slowly poured the remaining drips of the egg white, twisting and turning his wrist.

Sakura watched lazily as he in turn watched the egg's last dregs of the clear viscous liquid drip out and down Sakura's heaving throat, sealing the yolk inside the egg.

"Delicious." Sakura whispered. "Thank you, bastard."

"You're welcome, ugly." He lifted the still whole egg towards his mouth, breaking the shell, and letting the chicken embryo roll into his mouth.

"I want some of that." Sakura whined, pouting.

"Sure." And he plunged his icy lips against hers, shocking and angering the crap out of Sasuke.

Sakura was pissed at first, the person she hated was kissing her, sort of, but true to the bastard's word, he gave her some of the glutinous yellow liquid he held in his mouth.

That is, until he was violently ripped off of the very pleased girl by Sasuke.

The poor Uchiha was heaving quite heavily, flashes of red shards promising violence in his livid eyes.

Sai was so surprised by him that he almost tumbled over the counter, which he was clutching so hard that prominent cracks formed.

Sakura snapped straight, savoring the last of the snack Sai gave her and proceeded to calmly flip over the omelet.

Gaara chuckled. Ino was wide-eyed, out of her dreaming state, and staring at Sakura's back.

"I'm definitely not going to explain the counter to Deidara." The redhead interjected. "I wasn't part of this."

Sakura turned around, holding a plate aloft with the steaming food on it.

"Here you are, Ino. Sasuke? What do you want?"

The human boy sat down. "Something with tomatoes." He managed to say.

Sakura went to look for tomatoes and something to go with it for breakfast for him.

Sai smiled fakely, as if nothing happened, and left the room, bored already.

Gaara, since he wasn't needed at the moment, left as well.

Ino just chewed thoughtlessly; Sakura made a good omelet.

**..:****花****:..**

…_Eggs. What the hell is wrong with me? I hate eggs. Majority of the time._

_I apologize for the wait; I blame it on exams and my new obsession with SuiKa._

_Anyways, I have a request of you who might be interested. I have a challenge up on my profile; go check it out, see if you want to do it :D_

_Review?_

_Love,_

_hypheniated_


	14. Child Tantrums

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Fourteen

Child Tantrums

**..:****花****:..**

"Sai, what are you really here for?" Gaara asked as they left the kitchen.

"Uncle told me that you might need some help." Sai shrugged. "Like I really care about you two and your problems, but I'm not about to disobey orders."

"Hn." The tattooed boy grunted.

"Uncle also suggested that you move to France soon. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can go back to Rome." The artist added blandly. "There's a house all set up according to Uncle, and Auntie said that she might arrive to evaluate your humans."

Gaara went silent. Konan was going to come and check up on them?

"She's curious about why you find these humans… a point of interest, seeing as none have caught your attention before."

"Ah."

Sakura appeared behind them. "We're friends with the Uchiha's father. We got bored, you see, and decided to get a job." She glared fiercely at the irritating 'spawn' of Deidara.

"Stupid as ever, ugly. You, of all people, should know what possible problems would arise from your _boredom_." Sai yawned.

"Whatev-" She was interrupted by a frightened scream.

The trio looked at each other, and bolted towards the sound.

They found a crying Kari, and a whelp of a vampire with messy chocolaty curls and a look on her face that, rather than illustrating triumph and victory, simply reflected her as an inexperienced infant, by vampire standards.

"Oh, shut up, you stupid child. You're going to make Madame and Hidan so happy when they see me with you, and reward me beyond any other of La Armee's dreams." She cackled, tossing her hair back before catching sight of the three vampires before her.

And that's where she made her first mistake.

"Only a couple idiotic humans." The girl laughed, clearly voicing her every thought.

"Think again, you peasant." Sakura's voice shook with barely-suppressed anger, scaring her.

"Wait a second. That pink bitch has thrall. Oh my, it's stronger than Madame's…how could that be? She doesn't look like a bloodsucker!" The girl's milky brown eyes darted around, as if the answers were in this room.

"You don't have the right to trespass on my father's property." Sai hissed.

"His thrall is weaker than that pink girl's." The girl kept right on talking to her death as the three teenagers circled her.

"Tenten is scared! Tenten is confused!" Tenten, the brown-haired girl cried out. She blindly grabbed Kari, and clutched her to her chest, preparing to spring away.

"Tenten." She stopped, eyes wide, as she tried to locate the sound of that harshly scary voice.

"Tenten, put the child down." Gaara's voice was laced with warning.

"Tenten is scared of that voice talking to her! Its thrall is too strong!" She screamed, and dropping the crying child at her swaying feet.

Sai darted and snatched Kari away, saying soothing words (at least, as soothing as whatever extent his apathetic ability enabled him to) and walked out to find Ino, because his father is hopeless at this, and females grasp caring for children better.

He thrust the weeping child into Ino's bewildered arms before running back.

He returned to the wretchedness of the wailing intruder a few seconds later, and watched Gaara and Sakura do their work.

"Where did you come from, little one?" Sakura spoke coaxingly.

"No one!" The girl moaned in pain as Gaara began to agonizingly twist her leg slowly into impossible proportions.

"Liar. At least tell us when you became a vampire." Gaara uttered viciously.

"Tenten doesn't really know!" She yelped. "Tenten's been having a terrible raging thirst since that guy bit me! It seemed like two days ago!"

"Two days is qualified as a newborn, am I correct, Sai?" Gaara called out with his back to him, as he was still pushing Tenten's leg into a painful position.

"It takes about a month to mature." Sai said noncommittally.

Sakura leapt on top of the poor screeching girl, attempting to slowly crush her arms, by standing on them and grinding her heels in.

"Sweetheart, if you do tell us who's controlling you, putting nonsense into your innocent head, we will release you from this current painful state." Sakura said sweetly.

"T-That guy told Tenten not to tell!" Tenten began to sob.

"Aw, that's too bad, then." She clucked her tongue. "I-" she grinded her foot in, an audible crack was heard, and the girl whimpered- "was planning to let you go. I guess not."

"Tenten will tell you! Tenten will tell you everything you want!" She stopped resisting and collapsed from the sheer pain as more cracks were heard.

"Good. Thanks so much, sweetheart." Sakura climbed off daintily, and nudged her foot into the whimpering girl's side.

"First, we'd like to hear where exactly you came from."

"From France." She sobbed. "I'm an exchange student from the US."

"Nice. Do you know what you are now?"

"N-no."

"You're a vampire. A boring newborn, actually. Like a baby." Sai yawned, cutting through Sakura's answer.

"I-I swear! It wasn't my fault! When I woke up, my mind was all blank, and then I met this gorgeous woman that everyone called Madame, and she had this adorable slicked-haired child with his little playmate, and everyone seemed to love them, and then they started to talk, and there was so much thrall in Madame's voice, it was heavy, and making me dizzy. She finally stopped talking, and the cute little boy took over, demanding that I get for him a girl-child by the name of Kari, and that she was in Russia, and I was to sniff this lock of bronze hair, and they sent me out here, where I remembered everything, but the commands by the little boy was too strong, and I set off to find the smell that he made me sniff. And-" She rambled on when Sakura sharply cut her off.

"She's a weak thing." Sakura said. "She's easy to manipulate."

Gaara, who hadn't said anything for a while, and was still bending her leg. "Not too useful, I presume."

"But she may lead us to Madame." Sai said blandly.

"And we will be able to find another little snitchet of a thing from Madame." Sakura interjected.

"Maybe so. But that doesn't mean that we will find another as simple-minded and plain as this little one." Gaara murmured.

"Fine." Sakura sighed. She bent down, and stroked the shuddering cheek of the girl. "Sweetheart, we're going to let you live. Sai here will teach you how to feed properly, and the rules we make and have. You will have a room with us."

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" She whimpered as Gaara got off of her as well.

Sai lead her out by her fractured arms, leaving the siblings alone.

"I'm going to check up on Kari. You go wake up Satoshi, he's been sleeping overtime." Sakura said, turning her heel and went out the door.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura stumbled into the room Kari and Ino were in.

"Sakura, Sakura!" Kari cried, jumping from Ino's comforting arms and into Sakura's welcoming hands. "What happened to that lady?"

"We are trying to turn her good, Kari-chan." Sakura stroked her hair gently.

"Good." The child good-naturedly wriggled out of her arms and back to Ino.

"Where's Sasuke, Ino-chan?" Sakura inquired.

"Somewhere brooding. I don't know." She gestured mindlessly.

She nodded, and lazily began to find her way to Sasuke.

She found him standing in a balcony, where the wind was softly whistling through.

"Are you cold, Sasuke?" She asked plainly.

"No." He turned to look at her with a lusty, burning onyx-eyed look.

She was unaffected, and perched on the rail, watching him intently.

Was he an able candidate to be changed? Would he stay with her and Gaara? Or run off on his own?

She had half a lazy mind to change him, right there on the spot.

Sasuke was the most oddly infatuated male she had ever seen in her entire lifetime. Sakura knew that he was besotted with her for sure; but he didn't seem to have any interesting qualities, except for possessiveness and respect.

Sasuke was slightly uncomfortable as she stared at him. He felt as if he was going through an examination.

"What are you staring at?" He demanded.

"You."

He picked up her delicately-boned hand, and stroked it gently.

She was so surprised that she nearly jumped; but she didn't.

"You are… quite different from all the women I've met." He began dazedly. "Fierce, confident, sly, beautiful, and smart. What would it take to have you want me?"

She raised an arched pink eyebrow.

"Cold, yet warm, distant but close, handsome yet terrible." She said aloud.

Emerald eyes stared bewitchingly into onyx eyes, seeing shards of red flecked in his irises and arising half-formed questions.

"You act cold, but you are warm-blooded. You act distant but you are in close contact with me. You are handsome, for sure, but in terrible turmoil inside."

She cocked her head, pink locks falling to the side. "What makes you think that you have what it takes to have me?"

That question rendered him speechless.

She slipped her hand out of his, and fell backwards.

She floated gracefully to the ground, and didn't bother to look up.

She walked slowly towards Satoshi's window, and shimmied up.

"Gaara?"

"Sakura."

She knelt by the bed, watching the little Uchiha boy sleep peacefully.

Gaara did the same.

"I could hear what you did."

"I know."

"Well, at least you got him to think. He hasn't seemed to do that properly very much lately."

"He beat me in blackjack, brother. That is clearly a bad thing."

"…Really, now?"

"And it didn't look like he was paying attention."

"Now he has my interest. He really beat you?"

"Several times. On the ride here."

"He can't have."

"He did."

"Hmm…" Gaara looked thoughtful. "Satoshi, wake up."

"Ngh. Gaara?" The little boy stirred and spoke groggily.

"Good morning. How are you?"

"I feel better, but I feel woozy."

"…Well, darling, that sounds just about right." Sakura smiled. "You'll feel better in a minute."

Satoshi yawned widely. "I dreamed something weird. Mommy told me that she and Daddy are dead, that they died in a plane crash."

They froze.

"Um, Satoshi…" Sakura trailed off.

"Your dream is true." Gaara whispered quietly.

Satoshi blinked. And with six-year old reassurance and intelligence, he spoke loudly.

"But Mommy promised in my dream that she's watching me, along with Daddy, even if they're dead. So, it's okay!" He said brightly. "Because they still love me no matter what, because they care enough to watch me now, even if they're not here!" He concluded.

"Oh, Satoshi-chan." Sakura gathered him up in her arms, and hugged him tightly. "You're such a strong boy. I'm glad that that you know that they still love you, even if they're gone."

'_Unlike another boy I know.'_ She added silently in her mind.

**..:****花****:..**

"MAMA! MAMA!" A commanding, weakly thrall-laden scream ricocheted around the room.

"Yes, my son?" A bell-like feminine voice answered, sickly sweet.

"WHERE'S TENTEN? WHERE'S TENTEN? WHERE'S TENTEN? SHE PROMISED ME THAT TODAY SHE WOULD BRING ME KARI!" The childish voice roared. "SHE PROMISED ME! SHE PROMISED ME THAT SHE WOULD BRING KARI TO ME!"

**..:****花****:..**

_Kind of short, I know. _

_If you were wondering, thrall is a power in the voice of a vampire. Depending on the age or maturity of a vamp would change the amount of thrall you can put in your voice, and how much pain you can cause. It's used to make younger and weaker vampires submit and listen to an older, more mature vampire._

_Anyone care to guess who was that little spoiled brat at the end?_

_:E hypheniated_

_Note: Beta-ed by oxsilvermoonxo._


	15. Uncontrollable Injections

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Fifteen

-

Uncontrolled Injections

**..:****花****:..**

Sasuke glared at that stupid annoying chirping bird.

He began to truly think.

He had imagined, without a doubt, Sakura was perfect for him.

But he had never stopped to think that she didn't want him.

But then why did she continue to encourage his attentions upon herself? That didn't make any sense.

He flopped down on his bed, groaning softly in exasperation.

But before he finished that thought, he felt a whoosh of freezing air slam into his warm face.

"Damn. You're not that Subaku guy, are you?" A figure had hopped into his room.

Sasuke immediately jumped up, wary. "Who the hell are you?"

"Forget that you saw me." The figure tried to slip out the way he came from.

"Hell no." Sasuke narrowed his onyx eyes at him.

Then without a pause, the figure, clothed in black, tried to jump on him.

Thanks to his soccer skills, he managed to catch the figure in the stomach by surprise, slamming him into the far side of his room. The wall imploded with a force like a fist through paper, and a clear hole into the hallway was seen.

"Tough guy, huh? Too bad I gotta get rid of you; otherwise I'd turn you into one of my kind." The voice was masculine, with an almost whiny tone to it. He leapt again, fangs extended.

Sasuke retaliated and smacked him over the head with a chair.

Damn, he needed help really bad, was the first thought in his head. But the Uchiha boy knew he couldn't run away fast enough. So he socked him with a cheap shot to the balls.

"Ooh, anything but the family jewels, please." The figure doubled over in pain.

Frantically, Sasuke glanced for a killing sort of weapon. Seeing none but the mirror, and praying that he won't get seven years of bad luck, he cracked it over the other guy's head.

Blood exploded everywhere, and grabbing the closest long jagged shard he could see, began to repeatedly stab blindly.

A strangled, gurgling moan from the tattered throat was echoing in Sasuke's blank mind, causing a stronger frenzy in frantic limbs to eliminate the sound.

And by then, he was breathing hard, his bloodied hands upon his knees, and that was how Sai found him, almost dizzy in effort to stay conscious.

"Wow. What the hell happened here?" Sai muttered, carelessly kicking the bloody carcass, and grabbing Sasuke, lifting him over his shoulder.

He calmly trotted down to an empty room, and placed him on the bed.

But, the black-haired artist made a mistake.

He breathed out, and breathed in _out of human habit._

Sai could smell the salty perspiration dripping from pores mixed with the sickly sweet scent of his nameless brethren. But that wasn't what set him into a hunger.

He hadn't eaten in seven days, _and he could smell the deliciously sweet-sour scent of freshly leaked blood._

Sai could barely control his thoughts.

One lick, one bite, one swallow couldn't hurt. But his venom was different than the others, he had no control. It would immediately seep into the wound he would make.

But his stronger, instinctual side won.

Slowly, the artist turned his head a fraction to stare at the Uchiha boy.

Sasuke was barely conscious now, he was on the verge of the end of his massive fear-packed adrenaline rush, and would soon fall asleep from exhaustion.

Sai knelt, and dipped his neck down.

**..:****花****:..**

Gaara walked into the corridor, trying to find where Sai and Tenten were, when he heard a crash of shattering glass.

He didn't dare to sniff, in case it was only an accident.

But it disabled his senses greatly, as the red-haired boy depended on the majority of his nose.

He strained to hear, and finally, came across a door.

He opened it, and Tenten was sitting forlornly on the bed in there.

"Where's Sai?" He asked.

"He said he heard something, and went to investigate." She answered dully.

A faint slurping sound reached Tenten's ear.

"I hear someone slurping." She said blankly, staring at Gaara. "And I smell blood."

And even Gaara's weak ears could hear it too. "Stay here. Do not remove yourself from this room," he hissed.

He swooped down the hallway, breathing in deeply, trying to locate the sound and burningly scrumptious smell.

He burst into the room, and looked in horror.

Immediately, he yanked Sai off of the motionless Sasuke, and wrestled him onto the floor into a half-nelson.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Gaara hissed dangerously.

Sai growled. "Let me go, Gaara. I have not dined on anyone for seven days. Let me have this one." His black eyes were clouded with bloodlust and anger as he stared blankly at the redhead.

"Sakura is going to blow you up for this." the tattooed boy spat furiously. With a merciless look upon his face, Gaara violently snapped the other boy's arms simultaneously, and dug his knees into the back of the artist boy's shins, breaking those steely bones as well.

He hopped off of the heavily-groaning body, and focussed his attention onto Sasuke.

He didn't look too bad, but Gaara knew that he was in serious condition.

But as the redhead tried to flex the punctured arm, it was too late.

Stage one of the transforming process was rigor mortis, or freezing up of the limbs.

"Sakura." He called out loudly.

Within five seconds, she came.

The rosette gasped, and went to his side.

"What happened?" She asked shakily.

"I don't know. Sai… was drinking from him."

Emerald eyes flashed in anger. "What?"

"Sai got to him. I broke his arms and legs. He hadn't eaten in seven days, and he didn't tell us." He paused. "And it's too late for Sasuke, he's in stage one of the process."

"Oh for fuck's sake." Sakura slowly got up, and went over to Sai's body.

She pinched a rib easily because of his exposed stomach, and began to slowly crush each rib agonizingly, leaving faintly-blue bruises where her fingers were.

Gaara watched Sakura carefully.

She seemed furious in her odd way, he mused. But he doubted she wanted to kill Sai. She was once at a stage where he was, unable to control venom injection flow. But of course, that didn't stop her from torturing him non-verbally. At the rate she was going, she was going to break every single bone except for his skull and spine.

Sakura began to talk in a childlike, mindless manner, all the while still crushing his bones. "Sai, you're an asshole. I hate you. Sasuke was supposed to stay human. You're a greedy pig. I hate you. You can't control yourself. Grow up. I shouldn't have made you. And you're in trouble now. When you're all healed up, I'm going to do this all over again, you know. Five times. I'm sending you back to Rome in a cardboard box."

She stopped, and turned around to stare at Sasuke.

"Gaara, go tell Ino. And take Sai to feed properly." She whispered. "I'll stay here."

Her brother left, dragging Sai's body with him.

She crawled closer towards him.

For a long minute, she stared into the pained face of a boy who didn't even know that he was being frozen to death.

She reached out with an index finger, and stroked his cheek gently.

His skin cells were dying, and his skin was becoming more and more hard and solid but was thinning slightly at the same time.

Stage two of the transforming process was the hardening of the skin, and the nerve cells reproducing at an alarming rate to create hypersensitivity.

He would be feeling a sensation of an intense freeze-burn, if he was awake.

She continued to stroke his cheek with a tenderness she barely knew she had.

What would she tell Fugaku now? That one of his sons was truly dead, and the other immortalized?

Sakura felt horrible for what she said to him earlier. Guilt was a foreign concept to her.

But she knew she said the right thing at that moment. Her dear brother had said so.

She placed her middle and ring finger onto the side of his neck now, feeling for a pulse of a sort.

She found it, and it was beginning to decline, meaning that his blood flow was thickening, and his heart was having trouble to pump and force the blood to move.

His own blood would forever remain in his veins, immobile for now until the entire process was over.

Twenty-five beats per minute, twenty-three beats per minute.

It was an unpleasant feeling as she remembered her own 'death'. She was awake for the whole hour and five minutes, unable to scream or move.

Fifteen, twelve…

It was almost over. The organs were only masses of useless extra weight now.

Seven…four…

She tilted her head towards his wasted cheek, and softly brushed her lips against it.

Two…one…

And his heart stopped beating, not able to forcefully move the blood now.

She knew that Sai destroyed Sasuke's humanity. It wasn't her fault. It was his. So now, all she wanted was to keep and train the Uchiha boy properly so something like this would never happen again.

She never felt more pissed at the Akatsuki. It was their fault. They didn't train Sai to her standards. She should have taken him under her wing, but they had insisted. Now, she would never_-ever-ever_ entrust them with another vampire.

She should have known. The majority of the Akatsuki were centuries younger than she was, much too inexperienced, and she should have never had them band together.

But no matter. She'd destroy the organization later. For now, she had to focus on Sasuke.

She could hear the pounding, light footfalls of Ino who, judging by the sound, was carrying Satoshi as well.

"Stop." Sakura called out as she heard the blonde girl hesitate in front of the door.

"Yes?"

"He hasn't awoken. You may come in, though."

The door eased softly open, and Satoshi called out shrilly.

"Is Sasuke-niisan okay? Is Sasuke-niisan okay?" The little boy ran up to Sakura, and tugged on her sleeve.

"He's alright, for now. Satoshi-chan, for your safety, don't go too close to Sasuke." Sakura stood up gently, and turned to Ino.

"What happened to him?" Ino asked strongly.

"Sai has not eaten in seven days, and never told us. I believe Sasuke did something, and caused himself to bleed, and Sai went to investigate, and breathed in his blood's scent." Sakura frowned. "And…"

"He got turned." Ino whispered listlessly. "Poor Sasuke."

Ino suddenly became alert. "If he turned, I want to turn too!" she demanded, her eyes flashing.

"Why?" Sakura asked, genuinely curious.

"Um, because-" She didn't finish her sentence when they were interrupted by a groan.

"Satoshi, Ino-chan, stand back. Behind me. Right now." Sakura froze, staring at the body.

**..:****花****:..**

Sasuke's head swam dizzily as he tried to pinpoint his thoughts in one direction: to get his hurting eyes open.

He relaxed his oddly numb muscles, and was finally able to pry his eyelids open.

He was met by the sight of a very off-white ceiling.

Whoa.

He could see the miniscule cracks, tiny imperfections, starting-to-peel white paint on the ceiling. And he had to be at least five-or-six feet away from the ceiling itself.

"What's…what's going on?" He rasped croakily. He could taste dust and stale air.

His voice seemed more distinctive. He could hear the decibels and tones overlapping roughly in his voice.

He slowly sat up, and placed his arm under his head.

That was when he caught sight of Sakura standing protectively in front of a starkly determined Ino and a slightly-scared Satoshi.

Suddenly, all his other senses crashed to make way for incredibly impossible hearing senses.

He could hear an eagle's piercing scream, a river gushing across jagged rocks, and the _thud-thud_-thudding of a sound he realized that wasn't his.

Two healthy human hearts, thrumming in sync with each other, one was slightly accelerated, and the other in neutral.

He blinked, and stared heavily at Sakura.

"What the hell is wrong with me?"

**..:****花****:..**

_Finished to Nickelback. Thought as might as well credit them._

_Thoughts?_

_:E hypheniated_


	16. Charlotte and Vincenzo

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Sixteen

-

Charlotte and Vincenzo

**..:****花****:..**

"What the hell is wrong with me?"

He stared at Sakura heavily.

He was stupefied.

His viciously new eyesight threw him nearly off balance as he took in Sakura, purely only Sakura, Ino and Satoshi and background blurred to nothing.

Her heart-shaped face was near-flawless with almost-white pale skin; the exception was a three centimetre-long pearly white scar beside her right eye. He could see the barest slivers of black and blue mixed with the unearthly green in her clear irises.

Oddly he could distinguish every single hair upon her head and every individual eyelash with painful precision.

Everything was in such violent clarity, he marvelled.

"Sasuke!" Ino called out. "Sasuke!"

Her voice seemed much stranger; he could hear underlying tones of curiosity and fright.

Why was Ino scared? Everything was so damn weird, why could he see so such freaking detail? It wasn't like he had very good eyesight before…

And then he remembered.

"What happened after I smashed the mirror on that weird guy's head?" He asked quietly.

"…What guy?" Sakura asked curiously.

Her voice was like drops of pearls pealing from her lips like that fairytale he read a long time ago. She sounded incredibly alluring, her siren call ringing unabashedly from the intonations of her question.

"That guy that I killed…" He trailed off. He breathed in.

Oh, wow. He could smell sweet lilacs and a tinge of something sexily delicious coming from the strawberry-haired vampire, along with clean soap from Satoshi, and fresh lavender from Ino.

He could also smell a trace of something sickly sweet, but for the life of him could not figure out what the hell it was.

"Can you smell that weird smell of something sick and sweet at the same time?" Sasuke sniffed.

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura was in absolute confusion.

Why the fuck wasn't Sasuke trying to go after Ino and Satoshi? He should be ravenous by now.

She didn't bother to relax her stance, but took in a breath.

She could smell it too.

But before she could speak, Tenten burst crazily into the room.

"I feel sick." She collapsed, holding her nose tightly with white-knuckled hands.

Sakura rushed to her side. "Tenten, sweet, are you alright?"

"My nose is too oversensitive! Something is rotting!" she wailed.

"Sweet, I apologize, but you are going to have to tell me where it's coming from." Sakura coaxed gently.

"A couple rooms down." She fainted.

Ino and Satoshi covered their mouths; even their weak human senses could detect the sweet, rancid smell.

"Deidara!" Sakura thundered.

The blond man tumbled carelessly into the room. He swore virulently in Russian before talking. "What is that stench? My senses may fail, but even I can smell it." He wrinkled his nose delicately.

"That's why I'm asking you to find it, and get rid of it!" Sakura growled.

The man bolted out.

Sakura exhaled deeply, shut the door, and opened the windows.

Everyone could inhale air much more easily. That was also when Sakura decided to examine Sasuke, to make sure nothing wrong happened while he changed.

If he did, she would have to cull him, as deformities that appeared during the process would have caused an incompetent, completely dependent incubus to be born.

He wasn't damaged, she thought with satisfaction. A fine specimen of the male species. Way better than those handsome, shape-shifting Carpathians she met a few decades ago.

Sasuke did look absolutely edible, even in torn, bloodstained clothes.

Satoshi shyly slid up to Sasuke. "Sasuke-niisan?"

He looked down. "Hey, Satoshi." He didn't touch the kid.

Just as Satoshi hopped into the older Uchiha's direct personal space, an electric shock of a sort hit him hard.

The onyx-eyed newborn swayed precariously.

Sakura immediately snatched away Satoshi, much to the child's chagrin.

"Ino, take Satoshi, and check up on Kari, will you?" She asked, keeping her gaze on Sasuke. "I'm going to take Sasuke out for a quick hunt, and then I shall discuss with you your outburst."

Ino frowned. She felt that she was just reprimanded. But she was aware about Satoshi and Kari's safety, and left the room carrying the boy.

Sakura kept watching Sasuke until the door shut.

Then she offered her hand. "Care to join me?" She asked flirtatiously.

"With pleasure." he answered, lacing a sensuous note in his tone. He grabbed her hand.

They immediately vanished, already falling from the window.

They landed in the irritable soft grass with slight crunches of the greenery underfoot.

Sasuke gave a smirk. "That was interesting."

"Very."

They were well aware that their hands were still joined, and they ran in sync together towards the not-so-little village beneath the steppe of Deidara's estate.

It was simple for the pink-haired vampire to select a teenage boy and girl standing at the edge of the town square they were standing in.

They looked healthy and clean. Perfect candidates for a newborn.

She had Sasuke stay in the alley they were in, because the still-bloodstained clothes would rouse everyone.

She easily approached, looking sweetly innocent, and grabbed both of their hanging hands, surprising them.

She gave a secretive smile, and dropped a hand to put a finger to her lips.

They looked at each other. She seemed to have a secret that she wanted to show them.

The two oblivious teens followed her like lambs.

She took them into the alleyway, where she knew Sasuke was waiting.

Once the four people were in the darkness and quiet of the niche, Sasuke, with a tiny nod of approval from Sakura, took down the boy, elongated fangs heading for the wiry neck.

The girl was posed to shriek, but Sakura easily subdued her with a measured bite. She wasn't hungry, but a small snack wouldn't matter, anyways. The rest would be for Sasuke to taste, to distinguish the minute differences between male and female.

She watched lazily as Sasuke savagely tore and drank from the youth as if he had never eaten in years.

"Okay, Sasuke, you better stop. Don't want him to be dead, do you? Lick all the wounds you made, that will heal them all up instantly." She said lazily, licking her fingers. She grabbed him by his collar to stop.

Sasuke tentatively grazing his tongue across several punctures he made. He made short work of it, and soon the Russian boy was free of bruises and bite marks.

"Now, sample the girl, Sasuke, would you? Don't be turned off by my markings, it's a natural thing to do. You may taste my venom, but it won't harm you."

He obediently listened to Sakura, and tried to not be too repelled by the very oppressing, odd feeling that this body was already taken.

He lapped gently at the wounds he made, as he was getting more and more sated by the blood.

"That's enough as well. Clean up, and we shall be off, Sasuke."

They left the boy and girl in the alleyway as they ran back up the steppe.

Sakura stopped, and began to walk leisurely. Sasuke followed suit.

A couple closely entwined came out of the trees as they walked.

The man had his arms around the girl possessively, and the girl was practically in front of him.

The familiarity of that stance invoked a memory long lost in the pink-haired girl's head.

Sakura gasped.

"Vincenzo! Charlotte!"

The couple turned, betraying surprised looks.

"Sakura!" Charlotte screamed. She gently pried herself from unwilling Vincenzo, and rushed to greet her old friend.

"Sakura." Vincenzo greeted.

"Ever the unwilling to let your precious Charlotte go, Vincent. How is_ tua madre?_" Sakura shot back, laughing as she hugged the girl, and held her back to gaze at her.

Her shiny brown hair still came down in tangles, her cheeks were still bruised with permanent pink spots of happiness as her cornflower blue eyes stared back to drink in her old friend.

"_Mio madre_ is quite well. _Come è tuo fratello_?" He asked stiffly.

"Don't have such a stick shoved up your ass, Vincenzo. _Mia fratello_ is fine." Sakura shook her head. "I return your Charlotte back to you."

Charlotte floated back to her starkly miffed violet-eyed lover, and ruffled his navy hair. "Sakura is teasing you, Vincent."

"I know that, cara. Who is this stranger, Sakura?"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Sakura smiled sheepishly as she shifted a little closer to Sasuke. "This is Sasuke. Sasuke, this is Charlotte and Vincenzo."

"Nice to meet you." Sasuke said uncomfortably.

"Likewise." Vincenzo nodded as he clutched Charlotte a lot closer.

"He has jealousy issues, like all Italian men." Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Lovely to meet you, Sasuke."

"We have been called to here." Vincent answered the emerald-eyed girl's unasked question. "_Tua fratello_ called us to come." He nodded at her. "He said you needed to…escape the country, I take it?"

"_Oui_." The French word slipped out of her mouth. "I mean, yes."

Sasuke looked at Sakura. She had never told him that.

"Very well. How many are there?"

"Eight."

"Fair. I believe you have two _bambino_ to travel with us as well?" Vincenzo pursed his lips.

"Yes." Sakura frowned. "Is that to be a problem?"

"I do not think so." Then he asked something in rapid Italian.

Charlotte converted his words into fast French, and Sakura replied in sly.

"Three humans, and five _vampiro._ Welcome, Sasuke, to a world of eternity." Vincenzo said solemnly.

"You think you are cute with all that 'eternity' talk." Charlotte prodded his face.

He closed his eyes. "I know I am cute."

"Anyways, let's go up to Deidara's mansion. My brother is waiting." Sakura gestured up the mountain.

The girls exchanged stories of their lives since they last met, while the boys had a staring contest.

"Hello, Vincenzo, Charlotte." Gaara leapt from one of the many balconies.

Charlotte grinned. "Gaara!" She rushed to embrace him, and retreated back to Vincenzo, still smiling.

"Gaara." the violet-eyed boy acknowledged.

"So, I take it you must leave now?" the brown-haired girl inquired.

"_S'il vous plait_. Please. But one of us is still severely injured." Gaara shot a mild look at Sakura. "But Sakura shall carry him."

"Very well. Is it a chance to take to ask if one of children is Kari?" she asked.

"Auntie Charlotte! Uncle Vincent!" Kari cried out, running towards the group with Satoshi in tow.

"Marionetta!" Vincenzo let go of his mate to gently pick up the little copper-haired girl.

"You always call me puppet, Uncle Vince!" Kari frowned.

"It is suiting to a child like you, marionetta." He set her down. "And who's this?"

"My nephew Satoshi." Sasuke answered for him.

Tenten peeked out from the front entranceway. "H-hi." She stuttered.

"You are…?" Charlotte danced over to her, and tugged her out.

"Tenten."

"Enchanted to meet you, Tenten!"

"Sai and Ino are the last of our party." Sakura informed the couple.

"I am mostly healed, thanks to Father and Uncle Zetsu." Sai walked out gingerly with Ino supporting him. "Charlotte and Vincenzo." He greeted.

"Hello." Ino said softly.

"I suppose we are set?" Charlotte asked.

"We are. So how are we getting out of Russia?" Gaara asked.

"Simple." Vincenzo yawned. "Snowmobiles."

**..:****花****:..**

_God, how I fail at writing gigantic group scenes v.v I almost forgot Tenten and Ino…_

_Please, don't beat me with a stick. XD_

_All the Italian bits:_

_Cara = dear one. Tua madre = your mother. Tua fratello = your brother. Mia/mio = my. Come è tuo fratello = how is your brother. Bambino = baby, or child. Marionetta = puppet._

_:E hypheniated_

_Beta-ed by oxsilvermoonxo._


	17. Something Like Time Travel Advice

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Seventeen

-

Something Like Time Travel Advice

**..:****花****:..**

"I take it that Gaara called us for a reason." Charlotte whispered as she slid into the snowmobile.

Sakura got on behind her. "Yes. Because you are the most beautiful, skilful seamstress I know, and we need you to make us five suits of armour."

"Don't flatter me." but there was a hint of embarrassment in the brown-haired girl's voice. "I'll need measurements of Ino and Sasuke. Is Tenten not fighting?"

"They're the same size as me and Gaara respectively. Tenten's been in contact with Hidan, and she's knows nothing of being one of us, so I'm not going to risk having her around should we choose to fight."

She nodded. "But Ino smells human, Sakura." she stated curiously.

"She asked me to change her. But brother's got an attachment to her, and I haven't had a chance to talk to him, because Sasuke just changed about two hours ago, and I took him out to hunt." the pink-haired girl smiled.

"I understand. I'll spin the armour soon for you." Charlotte revved the engine, and answering identical sounds echoed around.

**..:****花****:..**

The ride was uneventful, and the group slowed to a too-small village that was to the edge of the border.

As they rested for a bit, Sasuke edged towards Sakura a little closer.

"Hey." he said albeit a little shyly.

"Hello." she responded.

"So what's the plan now?" he asked boldly.

"We are going to retreat to my chateau in Versailles to prepare for confrontation of Madame and Hidan. Why do you ask?"

"Tell me a little about them."

She cocked her head at him. "How do you know you're going to fight alongside us? You're _un_ _enfant,_ a child, a baby."

She wasn't mocking him, he knew. She was just merely stating his new age.

"I know. But you and Subaku are going to teach me." he said abruptly.

He was quite sure of himself, she thought wryly, and a very good guesser.

Kari interrupted them.

"Sakura-neechan, Ino-neechan wants to talk to you." she said solemnly.

"Alright. Sorry Sasuke, but Ino and I have some important things to settle." she rose swiftly from the snowy ground. "Sweetie, why don't you play with Sasuke?" she implored the little girl.

The child in question eyed him seriously. "Okay."

A second later, the two older girls were settled together.

"And to what do I owe this pleasure of speaking with you?" Sakura offered.

"You know what." was Ino's answer. "I want to be a vampire."

"Have you thought this through?" the emerald-eyed girl demanded.

"Yes." the blonde girl answered without an edge of hesitation.

"What are you saying yes to?" Gaara's harsh voice cut through their conversation.

"Ah, brother, just the person I wanted to see." Sakura said smoothly.

"What do you want?" he looked warily at her.

"Ino wishes to become one of the damned." she said airily.

Without a word, he slammed his arm into her stomach.

"Ouch!" she muttered, glaring. "This is not the time or place to fight me on this, Gaara!"

"Oh, this is completely the right time." but he edged away from everyone and the town and into a clearer spot.

"Oh fuck." Sai ground out. "Not good."

"No." Charlotte breathed, eyes wide with fear. She turned to her mate. "Stop them!"

"Not yet." Vincenzo spoke candidly. "It's always easier to stop them mid-fight than beginning."

"What's happening?" Ino asked confusedly.

"What did it take for Gaara to snap?" Charlotte asked urgently. "Tell me!"

"Sakura told him that Ino wishes to become one of the damned." Tenten parroted, watching as Sakura steeled her features into an emotionless smirk.

Charlotte swallowed quietly as she watched carefully to make sure the twins were still too engaged in their battle.

She turned to Ino. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes." once again, there was no hesitation in Ino's answer.

"Very well. She swallowed again. "Tenten, please take away the children. Vincenzo, Sasuke, prepare to restrain Gaara."

The bun-haired girl did what she asked, leading them away to a snowbank a couple metres away. The two boys aligned themselves.

Charlotte leaned in, and bit down hard on the blonde's pale neck.

**..:****花****:..**

"Oh, mon frère, you are asking for it." she taunted. "What are you waiting for?"

The jade-eyed boy said nothing. He pounced.

She dodged it easily, and sent a kick to his back, causing him to create a small crater in the ground.

"Don't forget, I'm just a little stronger than you are today. I got to feed a slight. Give it up!" she landed behind him.

He slammed into her, pinning her to the ground.

She kneed him in the solar plexus, and caught his neck in one hand.

"Give it up. I can crush your neck, Gaara."

They were interrupted by a scream.

Charlotte was withdrawing herself from Ino's neck.

Two sets of arms smashed the red-haired boy into a tree, holding him down.

He stared up blindly into the grim face of Sasuke and the impassive face of Vincenzo.

**..:****花****:..**

The bite was a mere discomforting pressure, but immediately Ino was freezing cold.

Her entire body felt like it was dumped into a bath of liquid nitrogen.

It was a horrible stabbing feeling of pins and needles spreading _everywhere_.

In the mindless haze of numbing pain, she could hear female voices trying to soothe her. It lessened it a little.

"Swearing helps." a thrall-laden voice rang clearly through her head.

She began to whisper minute curses.

"She can talk!" one of the voices exclaimed in surprise.

"Unusual." the other murmured curiously. "But not unheard of. Deidara was quite annoyingly talkative during his transformation."

The voices laughed.

The blonde's curses escalated in volume as the pins-and-needles feeling concentrated into her veins.

Damn, she hadn't anticipated it to be this painful.

She could feel the stabbing creeping towards her heart.

Two hands grabbed her own hands, which she crushed in a bone-shattering grip.

Ino sucked in a sharp breath as the pain twisted and tightened like a screw being drilled into her heart.

"Is…this…what…Sasuke…felt?" she forced out, grinding her teeth.

"Nope." Sakura's voice came cheerfully. "He had the luxury of being unconscious. Besides, I don't think Gaara would let me knock you out."

Gaara.

The blonde squeezed her eyes tighter. She never asked him if he was okay with it.

"He's being held against a tree." Charlotte stated amusedly. "He's kind of in shock, actually. It's pretty funny to see, and something you'd never see again in a million years. Too bad I don't have a camera."

"Yeah, his face's even paler than usual, and his eyes are all round, his mouth's open like a fish, and he's not fighting Sasuke and Vince." Sakura said impishly.

The blue-eyed girl felt guiltily sorry. She was worrying him, from the sound of the pinkette's description.

The agony was subsiding, Ino realized with an exalted rush. Her ears, fingertips, and toes were beginning to feel warm again.

She slowly opened her eyes.

Everything was so…sparkly.

The snow was glittering off of gnarled branches of the surrounding trees.

She could see a lone ant, struggling to climb over a particularly large knot of wood.

Two picture-perfect faces hovered over her.

"Can you hear us clearly, Ino-chan?" Sakura asked.

"Very." she tried to sit up.

"No, not yet. Me and Sakura have to check for deformities. Don't move." with a light push, Charlotte held her down as they poked and prodded and lifted her.

"She seems fine." they breathed a sigh of relief.

Vincenzo stepped up behind the trio.

"We are at the edge of Russia now. Charlotte and I shall take our leave. I do believe that one of the Akatsuki is residing close by. His name is Tobi? He lives in Poland." he said. "And Charlotte shall send you your armour to your chateau."

"Okay. Thank you for escorting us out of here." Sakura smiled.

"Goodbye, Sakura. I promise I'll be done before you know it!" the brown-haired girl gave her a kiss on each cheek. "And welcome to your new life, Ino!" and did the same to her. "And tell Gaara I'm sorry as well and goodbye to the children."

They sped away on a snowmobile, kicking up buckets of powder.

Sakura stepped up to Sai, and knelt before him.

"I'm sorry for breaking your bones." she said quietly. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah. Only thing that I think that's having a little trouble is a couple toes and knuckles on my right hand." he cocked his head. "Help me up."

She grabbed his arm, and hoisted him upright.

"Thanks. So what's the plan now?" he shook off some snow.

"We're going back to my home." she announced. "Sasuke, you ride with me. Tenten rides with Kari. Satoshi rides with Sai, and Gaara rides with Ino."

Tenten and Sai got ready first, placing the children in front of them, and buzzed away.

Ino was hesitant as she stood awkwardly beside Gaara as he checked the tracks.

He silently sat down on the seat, and reached over to snatch her waist.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, blushing as she was dumped in front of him.

He buried his nose into her hair.

"You still smell the same." he murmured, and revved the engine. "Grab my arms."

She quickly grabbed his forearms.

"Not that tight. You'll break me." he chuckled darkly.

She immediately loosened her death grip, worrying her bottom lip.

They roared off.

"You get to sit in the back." Sakura giggled, aligning her body on the snow auto. "Wind your arms around my waist, will you, and don't hold on too tight."

Sasuke slid in behind her, and did exactly what she ordered.

They fit like a pair of puzzle pieces, Sakura mused idly as she double-checked the fuel level. But she could have done without the erection sticking into her back.

**..:****花****:..**

They all arrived in good time, the sun just passing the halfway point in the sky.

They walked through the capital city of Warsaw together, with Gaara carrying Kari and Sasuke carrying his nephew.

"Last time I remember visiting Uncle Tobi's apartment, it was more of a westerly side." Sai relayed to the strawberry-haired vixen as he walked beside her, the Uchiha on her other side. "It was a freakishly black building, actually, with red trim."

"Hmm…how well do you speak Polish?" she asked absentmindedly as she scanned the various skyscrapers.

"…not that great- hey, wait a second! Uncle Tobi!" Sai yelled at a retreating figure with a black cloak.

The figure turned. "Sai!"

The man had an odd orange swirly mask on.

"Uncle Tobi!" the two men met halfway, and began to talk excitedly.

The rest of the group managed to catch up, albeit slowly.

The artist turned towards them. "Uncle Tobi's got a plane we can borrow to go back to France."

"Lovely. Thank you so much, Tobi." Gaara said.

"It's no problem! Give the airport this card, and you'll be off!" and the strange man disappeared through the crowd.

**..:****花****:..**

Ten to twelve sleepy hours later, they arrived at a private airport.

"La Belle France." Sakura sighed happily.

She turned to everyone.

"Alright. You are to be nice to my servants in my 'ouse, d'accord?" her voice had taken on a lilting, throaty French accent, emphasizing her R's and diminishing the H's. "That means no drinking from them. I shall bring you all meals." she directed to the three younger bloodsuckers.

Her voice sounded more alluring, sexy, even more self-assured and relaxed to Sasuke as he unconsciously leaned towards her.

Gaara scooped up the children, and disappeared into the enormously pale blue and white building that was faceted in hundreds of windows.

"You have a lot of windows." Tenten remarked.

"_Faire ma maison jolie._" the pink-haired girl said simply. "To make my house pretty. I like pretty things."

"I see. Could I walk around?" she asked, smiling for the first time since she was captured.

"Si vous voulez, mademoiselle." Sakura shrugged. "If you want. You are my guest. Feel free."

"And I suppose you're going to send me away, aren't you." Sai said dryly after the brown-haired girl wandered off to the rose gardens.

"I was. Do me the favour of alerting my housekeeper, s'il vous plait? I'm sure she recognizes you." she said with a knowing smile that the Uchiha didn't particularly like.

It was a sly smile, quirking as if they had done something naughty and were caught.

"With pleasure." he disappeared.

"And now." the strawberry-haired girl laughed. "I shall show you around, oui?"

**..:****花****:..**

She led the remaining two people to her house, explaining various components of structure and design and how old it really was.

They eventually made it inside the mansion, and Ino walked off, calling over her shoulder that she was going to find Gaara.

Sakura gave a giggle and smirk to the remaining boy, promptly turning her heel and bolting unnecessarily up the grand staircase.

Bewildered, he jumped up to the balcony, pulled himself over, and bounded after her.

But she had underestimated him, forgotten that he was a vampire.

He caught her by the waist and wrist as she was about to swerve into a room.

A flash of fear, followed by calamity, flickered over her normally coolly-collected face.

Sasuke felt…pleased.

For once she wasn't able to be dominant as he pressed her to the painted wall.

He leaned in slowly, and licked her pale neck.

She shivered delightfully, biting her pouty lip as she gazed at him unfocused from under her thick eyelashes.

He repeated his action, and she purred, her throat vibrating under his tongue.

He smirked.

And her eyes refocused, and shoved him away none too lightly into the opposite wall.

"Thought you could prevail over me, lothario?" she teased as she advanced towards him. "Make me a girl of yours with your weak methods?"

She caught his chin in her hand. "I appreciate your attempt, Sasuke, but I suggest you try a little 'arder, no? I bid you au revoir, monsieur."

She danced away from him, and disappeared up another staircase.

"I see you've tried to put your advances on Sakura." a voice rang softly.

Sasuke looked warily around as Sai slid down from his perch on the windowsill nearby.

"What's it to you?" the Uchiha boy snapped.

"Just…curious, that's all. You've got some strange thing going on with her, don't you?"

When the artist got no answer, he continued on.

"She's not very into materialistic things except one thing. She loves cards, especially her beloved blackjack game. I'd say she's in withdrawal right now, actually. She's been itching to play for hours now." he laughed.

Sasuke just stared at him. Why the hell was he telling him this?

"Just thought you might want to know." he cocked his head. "I've been with Sakura for a long time, but not as long as Gaara, mind you, but long enough to figure her out. Here's a hint- play nice, and she'll crack a little."

He waited a few seconds for that to sink in. "And I've never done it, I've only seen it. So you didn't hear it from me."

The dark-haired artist started to walk away, leaving the Uchiha boy in the empty corridor.

"Wait."

He turned around. "Yeah?"

"Thanks." Sasuke looked a tad uncomfortable.

"No problem. And resist the urge to stop and smell the flowers, will you? That'll help too." Sai gave an airy wave, and leapt out the window again.

**..:****花****:..**

_All I really have to say – Sorry for the wait. Sticky brain and everything, and just some issues that I had to deal with._

_And in case you're interested, I collabed with my friend KinkyK and wrote a Suigetsu and Karin story. Link is up on my profile._

_Review?_

_:E hypheniated_

_Beta-ed by oxsilvermoonxo._


	18. Repeat the Elegance of Eating

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Eighteen

-

Repeat the Elegance of Eating

**..:****花****:..**

Sakura sat on her fluffy bed, admiring the old silk wallpaper of her bedroom.

What was Sasuke playing at, catching her off-guard like that?

It just…wasn't fair. An overlook on her part, she would admit, but to use it when she was at disadvantage?

She pouted as she directed her stare at her inlaid mother-of-pearl vanity.

"Hey. I figured you wanted to play?"

Sai hopped from her open window and onto her bed, brandishing a deck of fifty-two cards with a rather plain red design on the back.

She smiled, turning towards him. "You do know how to cheer me up. I'll deal."

They played silently for a few minutes, the pink-haired girl winning twice.

"You know."

She looked up at him.

"Sasuke is attracted to you."

"Oui."

"And I hear you're not indulging."

"Oui."

"Why not give him a chance?"

"Give him too much rope, and he will tie a knot with it."

"Twenty-one. I win."

She gasped, looking down at his open cards.

"You never won before."

"Si."

She frowned.

"Did you cheat?"

"No." he yawned. "I'm hungry. I'll go down to the village to fetch some food."

"Not the village. City."

"Why? City's a mile away."

"Because the villagers are nice, as are my housekeeper's family. I take care of them and give them jobs to take care of my house when I'm gone. In turn, I pay them a fair sum, and do not feed off of them unless it's a sheer emergency."

"…I see. Well, then, I'll run off to the city to get food. Ciao."

He pecked her on the cheek, and leapt out the window.

She sighed, and fell back, scattering the thin cardboard playing cards.

She began to muse about her recently vacated companion's words.

She was not surprised that Sasuke was infatuated with her. It was practically obvious before she even stepped into the same room as him.

"Sakura-neechan, can I come in?"

A bronze head poked in the doorway.

"Of course, sweetheart. Sit with me." the older girl sat up, patting the area beside her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, Sakura-neechan." Kari reassured. She paused. "Satoshi is…following me." she scrunched up her nose. "Like a duckling. And I don't know why. When I go to the library, he follows me, and when I go to the bathroom, he waits outside, and when I hide from him, he stays with Ino-neechan until I get bored of hiding and it starts all over again."

"He's in an unfamiliar environment, sweetheart. He's never been so far away from his home before. Not like you. You've been all over the world with our entire family. You're comfortable everywhere." Sakura explained demurely. "You're a familiar face. I suspect he's not close to Ino and Sasuke very much. And he knows you a little bit. And you're the same age. That's why he follows you."

"I guess so." the little girl fell silent, a concentrated expression on her dollish face. "Sasuke-niisan is very confused-looking, Sakura-neechan. I walked past him coming to find you, and he was leaning against a wall. He didn't talk to me. I don't think he saw me because he was staring out the window."

"Is that so?"

"Yup. Could you please braid my hair?"

"Of course, love."

They sat quietly, Sakura working magic as she deftly combed and twisted the thick brassy hair into two neat braids.

"Thank you, Sakura-neechan."

"You're welcome, sweet. Run along now, and allow Satoshi to follow you again. I think he's very worried about you."

The little girl obediently slid off the bed and skipped out of the room.

"Tenten, please do not follow Sai's habit of going through windows."

The brunette delicately climbed in.

"You seem so…human." she said in a wistful tone.

"Tricks of the trade." the pink-haired female answered confidently.

"Could I ever be like that?"

"With time. You're doing a lovely job already, bébé, resisting the two children and my housekeeper.

"It's hard."

"Nothing is completely easy. I suppose you are feeling hunger pangs?"

"I am." Tenten admitted. "It's like a repeated punch to the stomach."

"You will get used to it. Sai is bringing some live food, I warn you. We are all ravenous."

"…Is it possible to not eat people?" she murmured curiously.

"It is not. Animal blood is rather foul. Blood stored outside the human body always has the very disgusting taste of hospital and freeze-burn. It's much better fresh altogether."

"I understand. I'm just…not too big on the idea." Tenten bit her lip.

"You will get used to it also." Sakura smiled with difficulty.

The brunette was so lucky to be living with her and Gaara. They were very experienced and could guide young ones like her and Ino and Sasuke to not make as many mistakes.

They lived in a good era, as well. No more mobs with flaming torches or poison lurking in every cup.

The pink-haired girl sighed again, this time with relief.

"Sai is back. Let's go to meet him in the front, shall we?" she delicately extended her hand tot the younger girl, and led her out.

"Sasuke." she whispered as they passed him. "It's mealtime. Come with us."

She extended her other hand to him.

He stared at it sightlessly before focussing and taking her hand.

He was very warm, she mused lazily as they continued down the hallway to the staircase. He definitely had a very manly hand.

**..:****花****:..**

Ino was awkwardly walking around, not daring to say a word as if the tranquility of Sakura's home was going to be disturbed if she spoke.

She admired the thirteenth-century tapestries that covered the walls of the hallways she was in.

"Ino-neechan, are you lost?" a small voice inquired faintly.

Kari gracefully stepped out from a door, Satoshi trailing behind her.

"Not really." the older girl admitted. "I'm kind of looking for Gaara?"

"I see." she said solemnly. She edged closer towards Ino. "Could we walk for a while?"

"Of course."

The trio travelled down two more hallways before Kari silently slipped away.

It took four steps for Satoshi to notice.

"Ino-neechan! Where's Kari?" he cried out tearfully, clinging to her.

The blonde looked around dazedly. "Wha- where is she?"

Ino felt nervous. They were lost in a maze of house.

She bit her lip, and lifted the scared little boy into her arms.

She had no idea how to use her newly-awakened senses, and it made her even more worried. All that power at her fingertips, and she didn't know to utilise it.

"Ino."

The harshly-soft voice reverberated from the shadows as Gaara stepped in front of her. "What are you doing?"

"Kari slipped off while we were walking together." she said hesitantly, completely aware of the sulky presence in front of her.

"I see." his tone refused to reveal anything. "Sai brought back some food, so we must find Kari to occupy Satoshi while we eat."

"Why can't we join you to eat, Gaara-niisan?" Satoshi asked curiously.

The question went unanswered as a certain little girl popped out from nowhere.

She curtseyed. "I apologize for leaving." she announced sweetly.

"Kari!" the dark-haired boy wriggled out of grasp.

"Come, Satoshi, and we'll go find Grandmére." she danced away, Satoshi scurrying after her.

Gaara looked at Ino for a long moment.

He was still displeased at his sister's foolhardy actions.

"Shall we leave?" he said courteously, offering her his arm.

She pursed her lips at his polite tone, but stepped towards him anyway.

"Why did you proposition yourself like this?" he went on, still using that formal voice.

"Must I explain myself to you?" she parroted back his rigid approach.

"You are acting like a child." he muttered, his jade eyes clouding.

"So are you." she shot back gently.

He still looked angry, but he said nothing, and continued to walk.

When the pair finally made it to the foyer, the others were ready and waiting.

There were seven unconscious bodies lying on the carpet of four women and three men.

"_Finalement!_ You are here!" Sakura trilled.

"Now watch." Sai knelt, and cradled the closest woman. "You must only take from veins. That way you won't kill your dinner."

"You can take it from anywhere." the pink-haired girl copied his action of kneeling, but picked up a hand, and bit.

The faint metallic aroma rose from her bite, and she began to suck gently.

"You take about a third, I suppose. Or until the wound stops bleeding." Sai shrugged, lapping at his marks on the woman's neck. "Tenten, try."

Tenten tentatively mimicked Sakura, taking a hand of a man, and experimentally nipped at the skin.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, closing her eyes as the replenishing liquid filled her mouth.

"Lick at it. It will help measure how much you're securing as nourishment." Gaara murmured.

The brunette wiped her mouth when she finished. "That…that was really good." she said shyly. "Sasuke, Ino, you should try."

Without ceremony Sasuke sat and pulled a man towards him, and lacerated the neck.

Ino delicately pinched the hand of another man, and pricked it.

Gaara was last to fall to the ground, and he hungrily began to drink from the remaining woman.

The room was silent save for the wet noises of tongues flicking against skin.

Sai was first to stop, poking Sakura to halt as well.

They had to tug Ino away from her meal, but Sasuke stopped as soon as they touched him.

After several seconds, Gaara finished last.

The dark-haired artist busied himself by collecting the bodies and putting them by the door as if they were shoes.

"Anyone going to bother to help me return these to the city?" he grinned.

"I will." Tenten said, rising.

"I will too!" Ino exclaimed.

Gaara's dark mood only fell even more, sensed only by the pink-haired girl.

She leaned over to him.

"You and I are going to have a talk as soon as they leave, dearest brother."

**..:****花****:..**

_Me and KinkyK have two collabs up and we really like if you checked it out. :) one's SasuSaku and the other SuiKa. GO CHECK IT OUT. IT'S UNDER __Kinky Hyphen__._

_And Happy New Year, everyone!_

_Review pleaseee? _

_:E hypheniated_


	19. Let's Fight Over the Misleading Pleasure

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Nineteen

-

Let's Fight Over the Misleading Pleasure of Sympathy

**..:****花****:..**

Gaara and Sakura silently walked away from the anteroom, leaving Sasuke no choice but to join the others in putting back the bodies.

They walked all the way to the other end of the house, reaching a sunroom connected to a greenhouse.

It was Gaara's greenhouse, where he grew orchids.

Sakura sat down on a swing, while the redhead knelt and began to check his flowers.

"Why are you so sullen?" she asked bluntly, swinging back and forth in the stiflingly hot glass room.

"I am mad at you." he answered simply.

"That is not enough. You are mad at Ino, as well, aren't you?" Sakura suddenly shrieked angrily. "Just because I allowed her to be changed because she wished to!"

He spoke in a quiet tone that almost literally dripped in venom.

"You, of all people, know why, Sakura."

She glared at him.

"We are all old enough to make decisions on our own. We cannot control people and their thoughts. Ino wanted to become one of us because Sasuke had. Can you imagine how traumatic it is? Being separated in some crazy way from someone that you've known all your life? She is his heart's sister, and she went though that awful freezing process because of him! As I did for you!"

She stopped the swing, her huge emerald eyes shimmering.

"She most likely has other reasons." she concluded calmly, blinking back her tears. "But I believe that is one of her main reasons."

"I never said I wanted to know." but he stiffened.

"I know you do." she growled, tugging at a strand of hair that had fallen into her heart-shaped face.

"It does not matter." he began to prune a tiny purple orchid.

"Maybe only to me." she sniffed. "She is extraordinarily sweet and wilful when she wants to. Lovely on the inside, and on the outside. Have you kissed her yet?"

He threw a pot at her, which she caught without looking at him.

"Answer my question."

"No."

"And I'll take that as my answer then." she smiled deviously.

He glared at her.

She only laughed airily.

"I am your sister. I read you like a headline. You fancy her."

"As much as you fancy Sasuke." he shot back.

She frowned, and he noticed.

"What is wrong now?" he asked tiredly.

"Nothing."

"And I read you like a fine print book. Answer my question." he bade her sharply.

"He is confusing me. He tries to be the alpha, but I wear the pants." she quirked a silly smile. "And then Sai turns up and wins a game of cards with me, and asks a strange question, which I answer."

"And what is this odd question?" Gaara prodded.

"Sasuke is attracted to you. I hear you're not indulging. Why not give him a chance?" she parroted.

"And what did you answer?"

"Give him too much rope, and he will tie a knot with it."

"Ah." he continued his work for a few silent minutes before giving a response.

"Why won't you? Do not give me a half-ass answer." he said crisply.

Sakura closed her eyes, frowning.

Why wouldn't she?

"It might be unpleasant, relinquishing control to a mere man of lesser skill than I." she said with some difficulty.

"Your standards are high, sister." he commented mildly. "For none has matched you."

"Is that bad?" she asked a tad fearfully, her eyes widening as she twisted her fingers awaiting his reply.

"Sai speaks reason. You have not given Sasuke a proper second of your useless time." Gaara shook his head as he stood up, dusting off his jeans.

She pursed her lips. "Is it even worth to pursuing?"

He gave a rare smile. "You never pursue. You feed impulse."

She cocked her head to one side, giving him a faux-innocent look.

"Do I?"

He strode past her. "I'll leave that one open to someone who does not know you as well as I do."

**..:****花****:..**

Sasuke was keeping pace between Sai and Ino as the four were walking back to Sakura's mansion.

Tenten's stream of chatter kept the artist busy with questions about his lifestyle, leaving himself and Ino alone.

"You doing okay?" he asked placidly, touching her arm.

The blonde smiled weakly. "Trying. What about you?"

"Not bad." he stared straight ahead. "I'm just…frustrated." he spat out with unnecessary force. "You're so uncomplicated, Ino. Sakura is increasingly complicated."

"Ah." she uttered compassionately. "Unfortunate that you spent your life around me, huh?" she teased gently. "Simple and understanding Ino compared to irritating, hard-edged Sakura."

He gave a small smile at that. "Yeah."

They slowed as they reached a cobblestoned path, the two others already skipping their way up the stairs and through the door.

"Do you need a hug?" she asked hesitantly. It had been ages since she actually offered a hug to him.

He nodded almost desperately, and wrapped his muscled arms around her, burying his dark head into the crook of her delicate shoulder, breathing her familiar scent of lavender.

She gripped his biceps comfortingly, and shut her eyes as both of their bodies released the tension they had.

"It's just been really discouraging, and the feeling of being misplaced isn't helping" he murmured disparagingly into her hair.

"I know what you mean." she whispered sadly to him. "I feel I'm not really wanted by Gaara here."

It went on unspoken that they were very glad that they had each other at the moment.

**..:****花****:..**

Sai and Tenten ended their conversation as they stepped into the foyer the same time as Sakura and Gaara did.

"Had a good trip?" Sakura remarked happily.

"Yes. Might I go play with the children?" Tenten inquired.

"Feel free." Gaara said, with a much lighter tone to his harsh voice.

As she danced away, they turned to Sai.

"Where are Ino and Sasuke?" Sakura queried worriedly.

"They were behind us." Sai shrugged, and drew the curtain aside to peek. "My, my, what an embrace."

The twins stiffened, and as un-anxiously as they could, peered through the window.

They saw, with their green eyes, the very touching scene of the two best friends cosseted with each other.

The bubblegum-haired female bit her lip sharply, while her opposite stared in shock.

And as they stared, glued to the exhibition, they tenderly let go of each other, the blonde's bell-blue eyes glistening.

They spoke wordlessly, the sound blocked from the distance and the barrier of glass, and the Uchiha indicated with his hand that they should retreat inside, which they started to slowly make their way to.

Sai tapped both of the siblings' shoulders.

"I do suggest that you do not assume anything." he said silkily, breezing past them to head to the library. "I will see you later during the children's dinner hour."

The much-more happier pair stepped into the room, widely unaware of the other pair's much-more menacing tensions lashing through the atmosphere of the area.

Ino faltered, her huge eyes gliding curiously at the rigid stances of the brother and sister, and immediately figured it why.

"That was nothing at all." she stated quietly.

"Are you sure about that?" Sakura laughed, brittle with disdain. "It did not look like nothing."

"It was nothing. A gesture of comfort." Sasuke enforced. "You haven't been the nicest to Ino, Subaku." he touched her arm again, feeling the girl beginning to tremble from stress.

"I would like you to keep your hands off of her, Uchiha." the redhead hissed dangerously.

"Or what? You'll eat me? Don't think it's possible, Subaku, at this point." the Uchiha snorted.

"It really was nothing." Ino insisted faintly. "I needed some amelioration. And so did Sasuke. I believe it's appropriate that we turned to each other for solace."

"Then what was with that embrace?" Sakura exploded in thickly-disguised jealousy. "That is not normal for friends to do!"

"It's normal for _best_ friends to do." Sasuke said icily, some of his missing aggressiveness returning as he defended himself and the girl beside him.

The build-up of anger simmered in the air for a moment.

"It's obvious what you guys think. You think that we have some sort of relationship beyond our friendship." Ino said hoarsely. "And that is not true. We are like siblings, just like you. The very thought of anything further than that is disgusting."

She slumped onto Sasuke in drained exhaustion, closing her eyes tightly.

"Here." Sasuke scooped her up, and handed her unceremoniously to Gaara. "You owe her an apology at the very least. You caused her to be hurt. I don't like that. I don't ever like her hurt in any way." he said protectively, narrowing his coal-dark eyes.

The unspoken threat between them was definable, and the tattooed boy left, gingerly carrying the now sleeping girl.

He breathed in deeply after they left, shutting his eyes as well, relaxing his muscles from his previous restraint.

Sakura was staring at him with a mixture of fascination and aphrodisia.

His assertiveness and protective nature were the first things that somewhat diminished the jealousness from her mind and magnetized them as attractive.

But she could not enclose the covetousness completely; strands of it was still tickling her mind incessantly, niggling, tantalizing nibbles of lewd scenes playing through her mental eye.

As she was hazing, the Uchiha opened his eyes, and took a glance at the pink-haired girl, and started towards a door.

She snapped out of her daydream when she heard a floorboard creak under his foot.

"Where are you going?" she called out, dolefully.

He stopped, but did not turn.

"What do you want from me?"

His words had a bite to it.

Her pouting mouth slipped into one of a wanton smile, and she began to make her way to him.

She was directly behind him; they both knew.

The fine hairs on the back of Sasuke's neck electrified themselves when the invisible shrapnel of a highly exquisite sliver of a single word grazed his eardrums.

"This."

And she nestled against him, pressing herself onto him, and he could feel the radiating heat and need exuding off of her slender body.

**..:****花****:..**

_That's enough for today, kids. XD_

_Happy Chinese New Year, and Happy Valentines Day. :)_

_:E hypheniated_

_Beta-ed by oxsilvermoonxo._


	20. Shamelessly, We Fall

_Only have KinkyK to thank for…erm…to put it lightly…this dash of citrus. :D_

_Cause if it wasn't for her, Sasuke would have been cockblocked. Again. XP_

**..:****花****:..**

Chapter Twenty

Shamelessly, We Fall

**..:****花****:..**

He gulped, and looked down at her pink head.

She only smiled daringly back at him.

"Are you…no, that's a silly question." she giggled as he paled when she pressed against him even more.

He was growing hard, and the Uchiha weakly struggled to have a little space from her.

"Cat got your tongue? Let me loosen it for you."

And she kissed him.

At that moment, full-on aggressive participation came from Sasuke.

Their lips firmly melded together, two tongues flicked and licked and poked each other.

He ran his across the slick walls of her mouth, revelling in her delicately sweet-sour taste.

She intentionally ran her tongue along and on his teeth, pricking herself several times but that only encouraged Sasuke more as miniscule drops of blood coated his insides.

They finally broke apart, heaving unnecessarily, the pair of them gripping the banister with trembling force.

Sakura looked up at him.

His stark black eyes were sparkling something rather devilish, something that she had never seen in him before.

So when he unexpectedly pulled her to him, before she could blink, and he was laying spidery butterfly kisses in a pattern-less manner all over her neck, her collarbone, her cheeks, and her eyelids.

She nearly screamed out loud, for this kind of kissing was so disconcerting, she was starting to get dizzy.

She hoarsely spoke a single word with the little rationality she had left.

"Bedroom."

A second later, she was none-too-roughly tossed onto her eyelet-coverlet bed.

Smirking at the way her large green eyes hungrily searched his face, the Uchiha lazily meandered towards the bed, working all the buttons off his shirt.

Tossing it aside, his bare chest was certainly a delicious sight to see, as it looked as it was lovingly sculpted by an artist of expertise.

He was whiter than her scarcely-sunned self, with each muscle defined and flexing with every step he took.

He made it to the bed, and pounced on her.

"Why, Sakura, you're overdressed. Let me help you."

He mimicked her manner of words as he deftly slid his hands under her back, and tore down the zipper to her dress.

He slowly tugged her straps down, deliberately dragging the fabric across her skin.

She wiggled to try and make him go faster, but he only smirked as he continued at the same pace.

She swore at him in several languages, but he continued his slow dragging, his fingertips scraping sweetly down her spine.

She ripped his hands off of her, and ripped her dress off.

"I was wondering when you'd do that." he chuckled darkly, and licked one of her straps to her pale blue bra as he pinned her down.

She shuddered.

"Front clasp? Handy." he murmured as he dipped his crow head down to toy with the clasp with his teeth and tongue.

Tiny miss-licks were starting to piss Sakura off, but she couldn't move.

"Fuck you, Sasuke! Hurry up!" she hissed angrily.

He stopped for a moment. "Wait till I pull your panties down with my teeth. You'd better not kick me in the face." he countered rudely.

She let out a sharp breath when her breasts finally popped free of its blue apparatus.

"Mm." Sasuke licked his lips. She was a decent size, topped with two small, perky pink nipples.

He gently suckled at one while he fondled the other and switched.

She squealed and arched her back, forcing him to follow her twist.

"A curve is the loveliest distance between two points." he chuckled again, and began to trail kisses down the valley between her breasts to her bellybutton.

She felt much too over-sensitive.

It was very new for her, as she had never bothered to seek out the pleasure of foreplay.

Now she could see why it was something to be admired, because Sasuke's skill was definitely beyond what she knew.

As if on cue, he scraped his teeth lightly towards the apex of her thighs.

She shrieked.

Sasuke was definitely enjoying himself. He liked that she didn't mewl or whimper out words. She definitely wasn't faking it with all the wordless sounds she was making. Hopefully he could work her into a scream or two, he mused as he swiftly yanked down her matching blue underwear.

He gave a quick kiss to her nether lips, and she hissed, closing her eyes.

He tapped her clitoris with a single finger, and felt her shiver. He gave it a mischievous flick.

He carefully inserted the same finger into her, watching with amusement as her big green eyes flew open, her mouth dropping open in shock.

She was already wet, he noted with some pride.

He inserted another finger, and she cried out.

"Sasuke!"

Sakura wiggled her hips, trying to ease a little of the sudden stimulation, but only achieved an increase.

He didn't move a centimetre, smirking as she helplessly stared at him.

He sneakily added another digit, and she moved to kick him.

"You…you are…you are going to have to do something other than stick…oh!" she said in surprise as he began to idly pump his fingers.

She felt as if a coil was winding up tighter and tighter in pressure in her stomach as Sasuke continued his steady pace.

He suddenly pulled out of her, her climax only half-built, and she frowned at the loss.

"You asshole, you…" she trailed off as he licked off his appendages, wickedly grinning at her.

"Yum." he wanted another taste, but his erection was starting to pain him a little.

She watched in fascination as he unhurriedly slid himself to align with her entrance.

He seemed to hesitate.

But as already over-frustrated as she was, and angry at his hesitation, she sheathed him into herself, smiling as he filled her.

He clenched his teeth.

"What is the matter, darling?" she mocked.

He pulled out almost all the way, and slammed into her.

"Oh!" she uttered, stunned at the movement.

He gave a shameless grin, and continued.

She snaked her legs around his waist, letting out a pleasured wail.

He could feel her starting to tighten around him in near-climax, and feeling himself start to throb as well, he moved much faster.

She gave a keeling scream, and clamped her legs around him even more.

She became wetter, a feat that Sasuke didn't anticipate, and the contractions from her orgasm was his undoing.

With a hoarse yell, he collapsed on her, being careful not to squish her completely as he released.

They both rested for a minute before Sasuke rolled off of her onto his side.

His fathomless eyes were glittering in satisfaction as he took in her sex-mussed hair, half-lidded eyes, bitten-red lips, and her flushed body.

He traced quick patterns on the inside of her wrist, the pair of them simply enjoying the moment.

"Jealousy suits you."

She smacked him hard enough to roll over.

"It does not!" she seethed, her emerald eyes alert and flashing with anger. "I am not a jealous person!"

She slid off the bed, and stalked to her closet.

That cad. She was not jealous! She didn't even really understand what the word felt like! She might have understood, she thought vehemently, if she'd ever embodied that foreign emotion at any point of her life.

Sasuke smirked behind her back, silently thanking Ino who cleared his brain of his previously passive state.

He knew she had felt that possessory consciousness. He'd had it several times before, during his old relationships. And of course plenty of women had it too, to extreme proportions upon occasion.

He hopped off the bed, throwing on his boxers on the way.

He padded towards her, and whispered into her long pink hair.

"Jealousy suits you. It's…adorable."

"It does not!" she spun, baring her teeth at his knowing smile.

He stroked a single finger along her naked arm before turning to the floor to pick up his clothes and put them on.

She turned back to the closet, yanking out a fuchsia dress.

He unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her from behind, and licked her collarbone, a reminder of what they just shared.

He slipped out of the room with a cat-ate-the-canary smile on his face.

She let out a loud, angry noise of indignation at the flare of heat that surged into her when he licked her before flopping backwards onto her bed.

**..:****花****:..**

"You hold it like this, right here in the middle, so it's easier to throw and aim."

Tenten pinched the middle of the antique dart with her thumb and first two fingers like a pencil.

She watched as both children struggled to copy her.

Satoshi finally got it, his fingers gripping the dart too tightly.

"Loosen your fingers a bit, Satoshi, otherwise you won't let go in time."

She quickly glance at Kari, and helped her inch her fingers forward a centimetre.

"Hold it too far back, it's not balanced enough, and it's harder to get a bull's eye, or in your case, pop a balloon. Too close, and your fingers might get in the way of the route of the dart. Watch."

The bun-haired girl held the dart close to the tip, and threw it at the board of balloons she blew up an hour ago.

Her hand let the pointy plaything go, but her digits got caught in the way of the trajectory, and it bounced harmlessly off a blue balloon.

She picked up another one, and holding it too far back, she let the white-feathered missile loose, and completely missed all the balloons.

Lastly, Tenten grasped a third dart, and holding it correctly, swiftly popped a purple balloon.

Kari clapped in delight, giggling at the sound.

Satoshi readied himself to try, and missed.

"It takes a little practice." Tenten encouraged warmly. "I had trouble when I was your age."

Kari tossed a dart, and missed as well.

"Take turns, okay? I don't want any injury!" Tenten called out to them.

"You're quite the patient teacher, mademoiselle." a voice behind her caused her to jump.

"Who are you?" she asked cautiously, staring at the two newcomers.

A man with pale, sandy-brown hair, and dark eyes grinned at her.

He had lightly tanned skin, a stocky-sort of build and was a little shorter than his companion. He had nearly the same innocent features as Sakura. However, they were marred by some odd purple face paint he was wearing.

"Bonjour, mademoiselle." he bowed deeply, his eyes twinkling.

The other looked suspiciously like Gaara, save for his height and eyes, which were dull amber instead of jade.

"Bonjour, mademoiselle." he said rather detachedly. "_Quel est votre nom_?"

"I don't speak French." she said apologetically.

"Ah, then. I am Sasori." the redhead that looked like Gaara said with some difficulty.

"Kankuro." the brown-haired man reached out to touch her hand, which was gently resting on the armrest of the chair. "We are Sakura and Gaara's older brothers. Who are you?"

"I'm Tenten." she smiled at them.

"Sasori-nii! Kankuro-nii!" Kari cried out happily, rushing towards them.

Sasori scooped her up. _"Comment ca va, ma petite princesse__?" __[How are you, my little princess?]_

She buried her face into his shoulder, and gave a muffled reply.

The two men laughed.

The little Uchiha peeked out from Tenten's legs, gripping her hand with the same force as he held the dart, watching the little bronze-girl being liberally doused in affection.

He bit his lip, and tightened the hand he was holding.

She was so…loved.

She was lucky compared to him.

And as if the bun-haired girl could sense what he was feeling, she picked him up and cuddled him in her arms.

Satoshi shyly laid his head on her thin shoulder. "Thank you." he whispered.

She softly stroked his messy hair in response.

Kankuro studied her.

She had quite the maternal instinct, sensing that interesting midnight-boy's anguish, and comforting him immediately.

But before he could muse further, Kari was foisted onto him, and all his attention was redirected.

"Sasori! Kankuro! You have arrived!" a slightly irate Sakura flounced down the stairs, her dinner dress of royal purple revealing undertones of bell-blue.

She embraced her oldest brother first, air-kissing him, and did the same to her middle brother without the hug to not crush the child.

"Your disgusting face paint, Kankuro." Sakura disdained. "I wish you would not wear it. It is most slovenly."

"Yes madam." he rolled his eyes. "I will strip it off my face and display all my womanly features for all to see."

"You may wish to obey her, Kankuro. I agree, it is very disturbing, and as a fully-grown man of twenty you are ghastly."

"Fine! Jeez! You both seriously don't appreciate-"

"A man in makeup is feminine and, to put it bluntly – Kari and Satoshi cover your ears, please – has no balls to speak of." Sai interjected from the doorway to the dining room.

"Sai! A surprise to see you here!" Kankuro set the little girl on the floor before going over and clapping a hand on the other male's back.

Always nice to see you, Kankuro."

"Speaking of seeing, where is Gaara?" Sasori asked no one in particular.

"He's upstairs." Sasuke walked down the stairs.

"I will go see him. Excuse me." Sasori leapt up the stairs with minimal effort, and disappeared into the corridor above.

**..:****花****:..**

Gaara put her in his bedroom, setting her gently onto his thickly grey-quilted bed.

He boldly lay beside her, and swept the stray strands of hair from her lovely face.

He felt incredibly guilty for stressing her.

If only he wasn't so suspicious or gullible.

Of course she and Sasuke would hug in such a way, given that they were best friends. It was a logical answer.

He traced her cheekbone, gazing at her shut eyes.

She was ever-so-sweet, it hurt his teeth.

She was so different from his brash sisters and the various women that were part of his life.

She was like a breath of fresh air.

He silently thanked Sakura for her easy boredom. For if it wasn't for his twin and her short attention span, he would have likely never met Ino.

He fingered her thick, blonde locks, and leaned over.

A flutter of her eyelids, and he immediately drew back and sat up.

She sensed that someone was leaning over her.

Judging by the smell, it was Gaara for sure.

She opened her blue eyes, and pushed herself off the bed, only to be gently nudged back down.

"I apologize for waking you." Jade eyes stared fretfully into her baby blues, speaking volumes of apologies.

"It's quite alright!" she said hurriedly, understanding perfectly what he actually meant. "I was just really tired earlier, that's all! Normally I'd put up a much, much better verbal fight." she babbled on.

Her last phrase alerted his interest.

"And what could you verbally debate about?" he asked, slightly amused at this different side of Ino.

"Just about anything, even things I don't know." she said albeit cautiously.

"French gardening?" he queried.

"The one about proximity of the plants?" she challenged, her eyes sparkling at this welcome stimulation.

"If you wish." his eyes narrowed at her. "The closeness of the plants placed prevents weeds from appearing."

"Not completely. You still have to pull weeds that are strong enough out."

"But there is less work involved."

"Then what's the point of having a garden if you don't do any work?"

"I did say there was less work involved. However, I did not say there was no work involved." he grinned at her slight mistake.

She bit her lip in thought. "But then you waste time sitting there, watching a garden grow without interruption. I'd prefer to be up close and personal and dealing with weeds as my garden grows. There's no fun or enough satisfaction involved."

"One could watch in satisfaction as their careful planning blossomed without the disturbance of weeds."

"One could easily do that with the help of nasty pesticides." she wrinkled her nose.

"You do not agree with pesticides as well?" he asked, clearly delighted at this.

"Frankenflowers!" she giggled. "Give me horse manure or something any day."

"I agree."

She calmed down from her giggly fit, and smiled at him, causing his heart to soar. "I'm glad someone agrees with me."

He leaned in. "So do I."

She copied his action.

They were just barely brushing lips when the door eased open with a screech.

They both jumped back, a ruby blush staining the Yamanaka's cheeks.

Sasori walked into the room, oozing obliviousness.

"Gaara." He nodded at his youngest brother. "And who is this lovely lady?" he asked, looking at her with slight curiosity.

"I'm Ino Yamanaka. And you are?"

The older redhead drew away his cloak, knelt and took her pale hand, irritating Gaara to give him a death glare.

"I am Sasori, the twins' oldest brother. Pleased to make your acquaintance." he stood up, letting go of her hand.

"Likewise." she smiled at him.

"It is nearly dinnertime for the children, so you may wish to join us downstairs, the pair of you." he strode out the door.

"Still overpowering, my brother." Gaara growled, irritated at his show.

"He's brotherly. Bit like Sasuke when he's using his manners." Ino laughed.

**..:****花****:..**

_For no reason whatsoever, but I really dislike contraction words. :3_

_Once again, I am extremely grateful for my beta oxsilvermoonxo for getting me out of that rut XD_

_And I thank you so much for your patience, reviewers. ILY. _

_:E hypheniated_


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